Barely two weeks after the Lagos State Police Command paraded over two hundred (200) cultists in Ikorodu and also read riot acts to others to either renounce their membership or face the full wrath of the law, the Onyabo vigilant group, on Sunday, June 23, 2019, arrested another set of cultists, who have been robbing and unleashing terror on another set of cultists who have been robbing and unleashing terror on residents across the town.
Oriwu Sun gathered that the operation that led to the arrest of the cultists was carried out in the early hours of Sunday and was led by the Provost Marshal of the local vigilante group, Mr. Lanre Labinjo.
It was also gathered that some of those arrested were responsible for the various robbery incidents at Ikorodu Garage roundabout, Sabo axis and other parts of Ikorodu.
Out of the fifty (15) young boys that were arrested in the operation, which was carried out at Sabo and Ikorodu Garage roundabout, twelve (12) were Eiye cult members while two were notorious gambler and an ex-convict, who had just been released from prison after spending a jail term of six months.
Explaining what led to the latest arrest, Mr. Labinjo stated that an owner of LG electronic shop at Alhaji Street had complained to him that his shop was burgled by unknown persons on three occasions stating further, he disclosed that after inspecting the shop and seeing evidences of the burglary incidents, he placed some of his men in the area in a bid to apprehend the thieves.
According to him, a twenty (20) year old boy, Afeez Olayiwola, was arrested in the vicinity of the shop in the early hours of Sunday, June 23, in possession of a 32inches flat screen TV and a DVD player and after interrogation, he confessed to his crime and led the Onyabo team to Sabo and Ikorodu Garage roundabout, where other members of his gang were subsequently arrested.
Two of the victims of a recent robbery incidents at Owolowo area were also on ground to identify him as the thief that burgled their apartments and carted away TV set, phones, jewelries and unspecified amount of money.
Afeez and other arrested cult suspects were being paraded before a massive crowd of residents on that Sunday at the Onyabo office located along Ireshe road.
However, in a brief interview with our reporter, Afeez denied stealing the electronics found in his possession; he said they were given to him by another cult suspect (presently at large) to assist in taking them to an Hausa man at Ikorodu garage with a promise that he would be given him N1,000 if he deliver the errand. He added that he was on his way to run the errand when he was arrested by Onyabo men.
Also, among those arrested were two notorious Eiye Cult members, Sanya Shitta (aka Codeine) and Lekan Amos (aka Salori).
The two cultists, who were nineteen (19) and eighteen (18) years bus conductors respectively, were said to have been detained at the Anti-Cultism department of the Lagos State Police Command on several occasions for cult related crimes while Sanya was also alleged to be among the suspected cultists that killed an innocent victim at Jaladugbo area recently.
In a separate interviews with Oriwu Sun, both Sanya and Lekan confessed their membership of the Eiye cult group but denied being in the killer squad of the cult group or having guns.
They also confessed to knowing most of their members on the wanted list of Onyabo vigilante group and their being in possession of guns and other dangerous weapons while they also volunteered to lead the Onyabo team to their hideouts in Idi-Oro, Mushin Fadeyi and other places for their immediate arrest.
They pleaded with their captor to forgive them and promised to stay away from cultism and other crimes while also stating that they should be ruthlessly dealt with if ever caught in the act again.
Meanwhile, Lekan’s mother, who did not disclose her real name for fear of being taunted by those that know her, was at the scene of the parade to confirm the arrest of her son. She explained that she was informed by a relative about her son’s arrest alongside other cult suspects and had only come for confirmation.
The woman, who burst into tears after seeing her son among the arrested cultists, said that she recently facilitated Lekan’s release when he was arrested for cult related offence by the men of the Anti-Cultism Squad. Afterwards, warned him to steer clear of cultism and other crimes and face his tailoring apprenticeship but that he did not listen to her.
She disclosed that she had disowned him since he refused to heed her warning and urged his captors to do whatever they deem fit as punishment for his crime.
Also, in what could be described as a dramatic turn of event, one of the two arrested gamblers, Micheal Ogunsanwo, was identified as a notorious thief by some people in the crowd.
According to his accusers, Micheal is a well-known thief popularly known as “Efon” (Mosquito), and he’s among the suspected cultists, who had been rubbing people in Ikorodu.
In an interview with Oriwu Sun, Micheal confessed to being a gambler and “Efon” but denied that he was the notorious thief that the people are talking about.
Also, the 15 year old ex-convict, Segun Oladimeji, in an interview with Oriwu Sun, described his arrest alongside suspected cultists and thieves at Sabo as an unfortunate coincidence while also denying his involvement in cultism and robbery.
On what led to his six months imprisonment, he said that he was wrongly arrested alongside indian hemp smokers by the police during a raid at an undisclosed joint in Ikorodu.
Meanwhile, Mr. Lanre Labinjo, while speaking briefly with our reporters, state that the arrested cult suspects would be handed over to the police for further investigation.
He said that the next task for his group is to go after the leaders of the cult groups, who are in possession of dangerous weapons.
According to him, until these leaders are arrested and dispossessed of their guns and other weapons, the wanton killings across Ikorodu division by the cultists would not ceased.
Mr. Labinjo also warned that all cultists arrested henceforth would be treated as criminals since all entreaties to them to renounce their membership have been disregarded.
The list of those arrested includes: Sodiq Olusesi, a 19 year old indigene of Ogun State (Eiye cult member), Saula Ajewole, a 20 year old indigene of Ogun State (Eiye Cult members), Saheed Abibu, a 19 year old indigene of Ogun State (Eiye cult member), Waheed Raheem, a 19 year old indigene of Ogun State (Eiye cult member), Sanya Shitta, 19 year old indigene of Ikorodu (Eiye cult member); Lekan Amos, a 18 year old indigene of Ikorodu (Eiye cult members), Tolani Obatula, a 19 year old indigene of Ogun State (Eiye cult member), and Oluwatosin Odugbesan, a 20 year old indigene of Ogun State, (Eiye cult member).
Others are Usman Waheed, a 19 year old indigene of Ikorodu (Eiye cult member), Aina Olajide, a 24 year old of indigene of Ogun State (Eiye cut member), Afeez Olayiwola, a 20 year old indigene of Kwara State (Eiye cult member), Dauda Ibrahim, a 36 year old indigene of Oyo State (Gambler); Micheal Ogunsanwo, a 27 year old indigene of Ogun State, (Gamble/Thief) and Segun Oladimeji, a 15 year old indigene of Ogun State (Ex-Convict).
Among those on the wanted list of the Onyabo vigilante group and in possession of fire arms are Abora, Hakeem Ikerike, Saka Gbegira, Abonso, Jelele (aka ‘J. Boy’) Savage, Small Witch, Kamson, Waliu Ogunleye (aka ‘Baba Alaba’), Blue Jesus, Amuda No Regret, Emma, Pencil, Isho, Shigo, Taye, Nigeria, Makanaki, and Dunga.