Operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Nigeria Police and a local vigilance group, popularly called Onyabo, last Friday night, stormed the hideout of a cult gang holding a meeting along the Igbogbo-Offin Road in Ikorodu, Lagos and arrested several suspects.
Some of the cultists allegedly arrested during the operation had been on the wanted list of the police for cases bearing on cultrelated killings and other crimes.
Suspected members of the Black Axe, also called ‘Ake,’ from different parts of Ikorodu, Igbogbo, Imota, Ijede, Sagamu and other parts of Lagos and Ogun states, numbering over 100, had gathered at a spot in the area for the initiation of new members before the combined team of the SARS operatives and local vigilance group swooped on them.
An eye witness, who pleaded anonymity, confirmed that following a tip-off, SARS men on special operations led members of the Onyabo vigilance group to storm the meeting point of the suspected cultists and arrested scores of the suspects.
He further stated that various arms and other dangerous weapons were recovered from the suspected cultists.
These strange youths kept arriving this area, but unknown to many of them, the Onyabo had already been on their trail. With the assistance of the residents, they were able to locate the particular spot they had planned to have their initiation
“The suspected cultists started gathering in the area by nightfall. Their arrival in fairly large numbers attracted the suspicion of people around here, who quickly contacted the local vigilance group, Onyabo. The vigilance group then quickly informed the police.
These strange youths kept arriving this area, but unknown to many of them, the Onyabo had already been on their trail. With the assistance of the residents, they were able to locate the particular spot they had planned to have their initiation.
“The cultists had thought they were safe as nobody disturbed their members as they arrived at the venue of the initiation. I think they were about to commence the process late into the night, when SARS operatives and the Onyabo stormed the venue.
They were caught completely offguard and because of this, many of them were arrested as they could not run away. Although some of them escaped, the scores that were arrested were taken away by the SARS.
Several dangerous weapons were seized from them. Infact, many of those arrested were discovered to be suspects already wanted by the police for various crimes committed in the past,” he said.
The witness also appealed to the Traditional Council in the Ikorodu Division, the Nigerian Bar Association and other interest groups to ensure that the suspects were not allowed to go scot-free.
He said that they should be appropriately prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to other cult members. The suspected cultists, who were first detained at the Ikorodu Police Headquarters, along Igbogbo Road, Ikorodu, have since been transferred to Panti CID for further investigation.
A senior member of the local vigilance group, who spoke on the phone, confirmed the arrest of the suspected cultists. He also reiterated the preparedness of the vigilance group to rid Ikorodu of cultism.
