Police round up suspected cult members in Ilasa, Ajah

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested suspected members of a cult group, Eiye Confraternity, who routinely torment residents of Ilasa and Ajah communities in Lagos.

Police detectives in Ilasa at the weekend arrested the leader of Eiye, popularly known as AY, and some mebers, who had been terrorizing the entire locality.

A resident who spoke to The Guardian on the condition of anonymity, said: “AY and his members are nightmare to us in the neighbourhood. They kill and maim perceived enemies with delight. We congratulate the police for bringing their reign to an end.”

The suspects have been transferred to the State Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) for discrete investigation.

Another kingpin of the cult group was arrested at the weekend by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) in Jakande Estate, Ajah area of the state.

The suspect, Andrew Awalebi, aged 35, who often boast in the community that no amount of gunshot can penetrate his body, was arrested on Friday morning at a beer joint in company of three other suspected cult members around 8a.m.

Arrested alongside Awalebi were Michael Thompson, 24, Adegoke Adeleke, 30, Kehinde Adebogun, 31, Koffi Kwame 17, Daniel Olayiwola 36, and Tosin Isaac, 26. They all confessed to being members of Eiye Confraternity. Adeleke and Adebogun were rounded up on Saturday at a hotel in Ikorodu.

Awalebi, who disclosed that he worked with a popular landowner in Lekki, stated that he earns N40,000 monthly for protecting his landed property in the axis.

While confirming the arrest, the image-maker of Lagos Police Command, Dolapo Badmos, a Superintendent of Police, warned parents and guardians to be wary of their children and wards’ behaviour.

“Charity begins at home. But this shouldn’t end there. Parents should help police to tackle cultism in their respective localities. They should endeavor to report to the nearest police station around them if they suspect movements of their children. This will help the police to nip cultism to the bud,” she advised.