Police apprehend 11 cultists while meeting at night
By;Raymond Tedunjaye, Lagos.
The Police in Lagos have apprehended eleven suspected cultists over cult related activities at the dead hours of the night.
Our correspondent reliably gathered that seven out of the eleven suspects, which include an erstwhile female security operative, were arrested by Policemen attached to Badia Division, led Supol K.S Ayeni.
The suspects, identified as Kalu Ukom, 22, Joseph Malachi, 27, Jeremiah Okereke, Sunday Nnana, 17, Monday Dennis, 21, James Francis, 31, and Nora Benson, 18, the only female amongst them, was said to have been arrested at Ajeromi Primary School, Oke- Community, Badia East, Ijora, while holding a nocturnal meeting.
Eye witness informed our correspondent that the suspects were arrested by the Cops at about 12am, on Sunday, following a tip off by members of the public.
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni who confirmed the arrest while briefing journalists on the achievement of the command in the last two weeks, disclosed that the suspects were among the 949 arrested during raids of suspected criminal hideouts across the state under the period in review.
Owoseni, who disclosed that one black rod, one red cap and a bandana were recovered from the suspects, added that four other suspects were also apprehended during the period for cult related activities.
The Police boss who was silent on the details of the four others, however pointed out that the incidents of robbery, stealing in traffic have reduced drastically.
Out of the 949 suspects, Owoseni disclosed that 83 of them were exonerated after discreet screening, while 866 found culpable were charged with various offences and convicted.
He also informed that 1060 motorcycles that plied restricted routes were impounded within the period in review.
While acknowledging the fact that a lot still need to be done in view of the forthcoming yuletide and perceived threat of terrorists, Owoseni said the command has tasked all Area Commanders and their Divisional Police Officers to ensure free flow of traffic, as a crime prevention strategy in their domains and constant raid of suspected criminal hideouts in their areas.
Adding that the Taskforce Commander has been directed to clear street traders and commercial vehicles that impede traffic or constitute nuisance in the area, the Police Commissioner said other measures and strategies which include effective, intense patrols of the metropolis, intelligence gathering, information sharing among security agencies cum members of the public and continuous raid of suspected criminal hideouts and black spots have been put in place.
