19 held as Lagos community violence escalates

 

Nineteen suspected cultists have been arrested by operatives of the Lagos State Police Command following continued violence in Alakuko, a border community with Ogun.

This is just as another cult leader was allegedly murdered on Monday, bring to three the number of persons feared killed since the crisis began on Wednesday night.

The Nation gathered that Monday’s clash said to be between members of the Eiye and Aiye cult groups, started around Dalemo and led to the alleged death of one Confidence, said to be the second in command in one of the cult groups.

It was gathered that it took the intervention of Air Force operatives attached to Operation MESA, more police deployments and members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) for calm to be restored.

Reacting to the violence, spokesman for the police command, Olumuyiwa Adejobi said there was no room for lawlessness and hooliganism in the state.

Adejobi said 19 suspects were arrested and some dangerous weapons recovered from them.

“Items recovered from them included dangerous weapons, assorted charms and weeds suspected to be Indian hemp.

“The Commissioner of Police set the record straight that the intelligence at the command’s disposal revealed that the hoodlums came from Otta axis of Ogun State to lay siege on the affected border communities on cult related crises and the command has been repelling them.

“The command has deployed additional police personnel, including Police Mobile Force, to curtail the hoodlums; and restored normalcy to the crises affected communities.

“He has also directed that the arrested suspects be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, Yaba for discreet Investigation.”