The suspects were alleged to have
been arrested during cult members July 7, celebrations. The date, usually
tagged as7/7, is a slated day meant for different cult groups to carry out
reprisal against rival groups.
The day is usually characterized by
bloodletting, murders, attacks and mayhem. Most time, unsuspecting citizens of
Lagos are injured and killed in the cross fire.
The suspects were arrested in areas
like Ibeshe, Ele-Epo, Ogombo and Ajah parts of the metropolis on July 7.
The police said that the suspects
were arrested during the celebration of 7/7 at different hotels.
The Lagos State Commissioner of
Police, Mr. Imohimi Edgal, said that he had earlier warned the cult members to
desist from gathering to foment trouble in the state.
It will be recalled that on
July 5, Imohimi had charged cultists across the state not to converge on any
part of the state on July 7.
Imohimi said: “The arrest was based
on credible intelligence gathering. The information was communicated to the
officer in charge of Anti-Cultism Unit. This led to the arrest of 120 suspected
cultists. They were arrested at Ikorodu area while observing their 7/7 celebration.
Some were also arrested during initiation preparation to unleash mayhem in the
society.”
One of the suspects, Emmanuel Jerry
(26), said: “I have a friend in my community. He introduced me to cultism. My
friend threatened to kill me if I didn’t join the group. It is because I didn’t
want to die young that I decided to join them. We were in hotel at Ile-Epo area, celebrating
our annual 7/7 when policemen swooped on us. They arrested some of us, while
others escaped.”
Another suspect, Ibrahim Mustapha
(29), explained that one of his friends, who once stood surety when he went to
get a motorcycle on installment, initiated him into cultism.
His words: “When I was making
efforts to get the motorcycle back, someone advised me to go back to my friend
who stood surety for me to assist me in the recovering of my motorcycle. When I
approached him, the condition he gave me was that I should become a member of
their cult group. I was desperate back then; I decided to join them in January
last year. We were together in the hotel, celebrating 7/7 when policemen came
to arrest us at Ile-Epo area on Saturday night. Now, I have disgraced my parents.
I don’t know how they will feel if they see me on television as a cult member.”
Monday James (30) said that he
joined the Aiye Confraternity Group as a result of intimidation from a cult
member.
James said: “Whenever I was going
out in our area, the leader of the cult group would order me to remove my shirt
and give to him. Sometimes, they would also threaten to kill me if I didn’t
join them. I finally joined because I didn’t want to die. I was initiated into
the cult group last year. I was also arrested in the hotel with my colleagues.”
Ebube Ebuka (24) told our
correspondent that he was initiated into the cult group in Enugu State, but
continued after he got to Lagos State.
Ebuka said: “I was initiated when
some suspected cultists collected my phone. They instructed me to come at a
particular location to collect it. When I got to where they asked me to come
and collect my phone, I met the cultists initiating new members. They
told me to be part of them or else they would kill me because I had seen what
they were doing and knew their secrets. I had to join them.”
Chidi Eric (29), also has his
own story to tell. Eric said: “Policemen came to arrest me at home. I had
already left the hotel before their arrival at the hotel. Immediately I saw the
policemen in the hotel where were celebrating, I escaped with our operational
gun. I was however shocked to when the policemen traced me home and arrested
me.”
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