Christopher Oji
It was harvest of arrests at the weekend as the Lagos State Police Command picked 32 suspected cultists including a most-wanted leader, Odia
Odia has been on police wanted list for over a period for armed robbery, murder, raping and for terrorising students of Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education, Lagos.
Also, a man has committed suicide by drinking snapper at the Ijanikin area of the state.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer ( PPRO) DSP Bala who gave a breakdown on how the suspects were arrested said:”32 notorious cult members have been arrested by Operation Crush. Acting on intelligence, Operatives from Ilemba Police Station led by the Divisional Police Officer, CSP Kazeem Abonde arrested Rasaq (a.k.a Odia). He is the leader of a notorious armed robbery gang responsible for robbery attacks within Iba, Okokomaiko, Ojo, and Ajangbadi using commercial motorcycles (okada). The gang operated mostly in restaurants, bars, and warehouses. Odia is number two in the hierarchy of leaders of Eiye confraternity, ravaging Abraham Adesanya College of Education ijanikin and its environs. He has participated in killing a member of the rival group at Ojo area this year in retaliation of the killing of their member.
“He has confessed that his cult group mostly uses guns and axes in killing their victims. He also confessed to have participated in the robbery operation of a Niaja bet shop at iba in a joint operation with three other gang members where they dispossessed their victims of handsets and money at gunpoint.
“The CCTV footage played to him buttressed his statement as he confirmed that he was the one in the video holding a locally made gun. He equally confirmed that his gang members were killed by Special Anti Robbery Squad ( SARS) operatives during a shoot out in another robbery operation at Iba . Odia has been on the wanted list of Police. The Commissioner of Police Lagos State, CP Zubairu Muazu mni has ordered SARS to take over the investigation and prosecution of the suspect.
Bala said in another development, men from the Anti Cultism Squad while on patrol arrested Sulieman ,at Mosavejo Amukoko Street, Ajegunle with a locally made single barrel pistol with one live Cartridge. The suspect confessed to be a member of Aiye Confraternity. His gang was responsible for a series of violent crimes in Ajengule. The investigation is ongoing and efforts are emplaced to apprehend other members of his gang. The suspect will be charged to court.
“Operatives of Operation Crush from eight divisions in Area H Command , Ogudu, acting upon credible Intelligence, raided a cultists’ hideout at Bariga. During the raid, Udih of Kajora Street Bariga and 22 members of his gang were arrested. They all confessed to being members of a deadly gang and cult group responsible for various killings and violent crimes in Bariga.
“In a follow-up operation carried out by Bariga Police Station, at Oyenaya Street Bariga, Sadiq and five other members of his gang were arrested. Two other cultists were arrested by men of Operation Crush at Itabale Igbolomu area of Owutu, Ikorodu while engaging each other in a battle for supremacy. One locally-made pistol was recovered from them. The suspects were charged to court.