Confession of ‘Butcher’: I don’t think twice before killing

Taiwo Jimoh

A 32-year-old suspected cultist, Ahmed Kabiru, has told Operatives of Anti-Cultism Unit, Lagos State Police Command that he usually didn’t think before killing his perceived foes.

Kabiru, who claimed to be a member of the Aiye Confraternity, said that he has so far killed four victims, Police, however, believed that he was being economic with the truth.

He mentioned that the four victims were rival members, belonging to the Eiye Confraternity. He confessed to have killed them during gang wars at the Ebute-Metta area of the state.

According to the suspect, whenever he wants to kill, a mist would cover his eyes, making him not to think twice before slaughtering rivals.

His words: “Whenever I want to kill any of our rival, it is always like a veil falls over my eyes. I don’t even feel remorse after killing. There was a day I killed a rival member. I had shot him on the head. He was trying to escape when he saw me coming towards his direction. I felt something struck me on my chest. Three days after, I fell sick. I was sick for two months.”

The suspect, who hails from Kano State, said that he was born at the Ebute-Metta area of the metropolis. He told our correspondent that he was initiated into cultism at the age of 19, while he was in senior secondary school.

He said: “I was initiated when I was in secondary school, inside a forest at Ikorodu. While in the forest I was tortured and made to take oath never to disclose what transpired there to anyone. After I was initiated, I didn’t participate in their activities for some years. I didn’t participate because I was worried over what my parents would say if they found out I was involved in cultism. I was also scared that I might be killed. 

 “It was in 2018 that I started participating in the activities of Aiye properly. It was after Eiye members started killing our members on daily basis. It was the same year I was given a pistol to lead a squad, which confronted Eiye members at Ebute-Metta. On the fateful day of the confrontation, I killed one of our rivals and injured several others.”

Kabiru said that his prowess at the battlefield on that fateful day so much impressed their Aiye leader that the guy immediately promoted him above others.

He recalled: “It was on that same day that I was promoted to the rank of a ‘Butcher.’ My role as a Butcher was to lead during fights and to also discipline any of our erring members. Since then, I have not looked back in the discharge of my duty. It was Eiye members that first attacked and killed our members. Initially, we didn’t want to retaliate, but when it was becoming unbearable, we had to confront them. I have killed three other Eiye members at different locations at Ondo Street in Ebute-Metta.”

Kabiru said that he killed the three Eiye members at their base, at about 1: am. The victims were sleeping, “when I got there. I shot three of them on different parts of their bodies. It was the following day that I heard the gunshots hit two in the chest and one on the skull. What we were doing was counting the numbers of people that died in both confraternities.”

He added: “Some Aiye members always come from outside the state to assist in our fight against Eiye rivals. Among those who came to assist in confronting the Eiye group is Aliu and ‘Landlord’ from Ajah. They were among those who cut off their rivals’ heads and dropped them at some junctions in Ajah in 2019. After the clash between Aiye and Eiye at Ebute Metta, Operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), from Mushin, arrested me over the murder of the four rival members that I had killed during clashes.  I spent three months in cell. When I came out, I returned to my members and we celebrated my release. Whenever I finished any of the operation, we would return our arms to our colleagues at Ajah to keep it.  Our colleagues from Ajah always bring the arms through lagoon to Ebute-Metta.”

Kabiru explained that when he was in SARS detention, he heard the word of God repeatedly, but still didn’t know God.

His words: “Whenever they were preaching to us, I didn’t believe in what they were telling us. It was because my soul was still with the Devil. I didn’t show any remorse whenever I killed then.   It was in Anti-Cultism detention facility that I began to realise that I had been in darkness. Some of our members killed by Eiye members are Babalawo, Bebeto, Mapola, Shepe and his friend, Yamuse, Egbo and Obokun. At least 20 others were killed and several others sustained permanent injuries during clashes.”

Kabiru said that after the death of their leader, he was supposed to become the next in line, unfortunately, that was when SARS Operatives arrested and detained him for months before he was later released.

He said: “Initially, my parents didn’t know I was a member of Aiye Cult Group. It was after I was arrested by SARS Operatives that my father knew what I was into. My parents threatened to disown me if I didn’t renounce cultism. There was no way I could withdraw from the group. I had gone far into the confraternity. I was a senior member. When I came out of SARS detention, my parents sent me to Kano State to stay with family members. But while in Kano, it was difficult for me to relate with people there. I didn’t understand Hausa Language, coupled with disturbance from my cult members at home. I decided to return to Lagos State to protect my members from Eiye members’ attack.”

He explained that when he returned, the tension in Ebute-Metta was so much that he had to leave that area to Bariga to stay with his girlfriend. He said that the tension was caused by some boys newly initiated into the Aiye Cult Group. The boys were going after Eiye members, killing them on daily basis.

“Whenever Police mentioned the name of the Aiye leader, they would mention my name. That was why I had to leave Ebute-Metta and run to Bariga. I was with my girlfriend when policemen came to arrest me. I also worked as bodyguard for politicians during elections,” said Kabiru.

He further narrated: “Since I was brought to the Anti-Cultism detention facility, nobody has tortured me. They always counsel and take good care of me and others in the cell. We don’t use our money to buy food. They buy food for us. That was why I decided to assist the police to get rid of cultists at Ebute-Metta community.”

A police source explained that government’s restriction of cyclists operation in Lagos State has really helped in curtailing activities of cultists.

The source added: “Majority of these cultists make use of motorcycles to move their arms. But since motorcycles and tricycles were banned, these criminals are now using waterways to get to their members. We’re going to go after any of them that enter the state. They’re beginning to spread to primary school in the State.”

Kabiru, however, said, it was the reward of the crime he had committed before, “that God is punishing me for now.”

He promised to turn a new leaf and be an advocate of anti-cultism in Lagos. Meanwhile, two suspected cultists were arrested over the recent clash at Mile 12 area of the state, where two persons were killed. The clash was between two rivals from Oniyanrin and Under Bridge boys.

One of the suspects arrested, Mustapha Adedeji, said the incident occurred at about 1.30 p.m. after one of their members, popularly called Soko, a catfish seller, was killed while on his legitimate business at Mile 12 Market.

“Those of us who are his colleagues couldn’t fold our arms and watch them kill us; that was why we avenged his death,” said Adedeji.

His partner in crime, Joseph Dennis, said: “Aiye confraternity members butchered Soko and stole his money. They injured so many people in the market that came to defend our member.”