Police arrest 32-year-old man for 10 murders

Adigun Muda

The Lagos State Police Command has apprehended a 32-year-old man, Adigun Muda, in connection with some  murders in the Mushin and Fadeyi areas of the state.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the suspect was arrested at South Africa Visa Application centre on Billingsway, Ikeja.

According to police authorities, the suspect, who is also an alleged leader of Black Axe cult, has been linked to the killings of over 10 youths between 2010 and 2013.

The police added that the suspect had, in the past, been declared wanted by the police, charged for murder and was remanded at Ikoyi Prison for over a year.

According to police sources, after being charged with murder at a magistrate’s court, the suspect, with the help of some influential members of his community, was able to obtain a motion for bail application and was released under controversial circumstances.

It was learnt that after his release, the suspect allegedly went after those who had collaborated with the police to arrest him.

The suspect was said to have killed more youths in the area and was declared wanted again by the police. All attempts to arrest him had proved abortive.

However, it was learnt that a team of policemen attached to Area D Command, Mushin, remained on Muda’s trail.

It was learnt that the resilience paid off last Thursday when the policemen, led by the Area Commander, ACP Omololu Bishi, arrested him at the visa application centre with travel documents.

A police source said, “Around 2pm on that day, a team of policemen on patrol duty, rushed to the scene and arrested the suspect.

“We found forged documents on him including a fake identity card portraying the suspect as a supervisor with the Lagos State Waste Management Agency.

“Upon interrogation, he confessed that he was a member of Black Axe Confraternity, and had killed many people. He mentioned other members of his gang and we will continue to make more arrests. We have transferred him to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba.”

Policemen attached to the Homicide Department at the SCID told PUNCH Metro that investigations were on to unravel the mystery behind Muda’s previous release.

A police detective said, “We did our job and charged this guy (Muda) to court. We have arrested and charged him three times but he continues to find his way out of prison. This frustrates our job and we want the government to look into this.”

Muda’s arrest ignited celebrations in Mushin as youths narrated some of their experiences in the hands of the suspect.

A victim, Toheeb Sodiq, who spoke to our correspondent from the hospital bed, said he was shot three times by the suspect.

He said, “On August 4, 2013, I was at the entrance of Lawani Street when four armed men led by Muda, started shooting at me and left me for dead. They shot me three times. Muda and his gang members have been terrorising us for a long time. This is indeed an achievement for the police.”

Police sources told our correspondent that Muda was the one who led thugs to wreak havoc at a naming ceremony on Alhaji Lasisi Street.

PUNCH Metro had reported on May 20, 2013, that at the naming ceremony on Alhaji Ota Street, the suspect and his gang members shot one Yinka and later killed three others in an attack that lasted for three days.

Meanwhile, it was learnt that policemen had beefed up security in Mushin as Muda’s gang members were said to have threatened to carry out reprisals for his arrest.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, confirmed Muda’s arrest to our correspondent on the telephone.

“The suspect has been transferred to the SCID. Investigations will reveal all his crimes,” she said.