Korede Abdullah 
LAGOS, Nigeria – The Lagos Police cultists arrest has led to the capture of five suspected members of a notorious cult group and the recovery of dangerous weapons during an intelligence-led operation targeting criminal gangs in Apapa.
Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command’s Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) arrested the suspects, who are allegedly responsible for terrorising residents of Apapa, Ijora and Badia.
The suspects were identified as Abubakar Ayomide (alias Garbazin), Tanko Yusuf, Ahmed Abibu, Abubakar Shafi and Fatai Mohammed, all aged between 23 and 25.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, said the operation followed credible intelligence gathered by detectives.
According to the statement, the principal suspect, Ayomide, confessed to being a member of the Aiye Confraternity and subsequently led investigators to the gang’s hideout, where the remaining suspects were arrested.
Police recovered a battle axe, a UTC knife, two additional knives, a hammer, substances suspected to be cannabis, suspected criminal charms and other incriminating exhibits during a search of the hideout.
The command said investigations are continuing to identify and apprehend other members of the criminal network before the suspects are charged to court.
Reacting to the arrests, the Commissioner of Police, Olohundare Jimoh, warned cultists and other criminal elements to abandon illegal activities or face prosecution.
“There is no hiding place for cultists in Lagos. The Command remains resolute in identifying, arresting and prosecuting every individual involved in cult-related violence and other criminal acts,” he said.
The police commissioner assured residents that intelligence-driven operations against cultism and violent crime would continue across the state and urged members of the public to provide credible information to support law enforcement efforts.
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Hussaini Ibrahim 
Oluwafunbi Bello