The Nation Newspaper

Tag: cult

  • Seven suspects held over Bariga cult clash

    •Police sieze three power bikes, Keke Marwa

    The Lagos State Police Command has arrested seven suspected cultists following Saturday’s clash in Bariga which claimed a 65-year-old woman’s life.

    They are Afees Olaide Fagunwa, Nurudeen Lateef, Richard Ewa, Richard Abayomi, Mohammed Musa, Kayode Dada and Adams Adelakun.

    Mrs Adejoke Adefuye was burnt beyond recognition when her house on 19, Oshinfolarin Street in Bariga, was set ablaze by the feuding cult groups.

    On the fateful day, members of Eiye Confraternity led by Ibrahim Balogun, clashed with a rival cult group, Aiye Confraternity, led by a man simply identified as Gideon.

    The cultists, according to reports, vandalised some vehicles parked on the road side. Two members of the Aiye Confraternity, identified as Bobo and Abayomi Olubola, died in the fracas.

    Command spokesperson Dolapo Badmos, a Superintendent of Police (SP), confirmed the cultists’ arrests and the recovery of some weapons, including one live and expended cartridges.

    Badmos said the second-in-command of one of the cult groups was among those arrested. Three power bikes and a tricycle, popularly known as Keke Marwa, were confiscated.

    She said the suspected cultists had been terrorising the area for days, adding that the police made some arrests because of their swift response to distress calls.

    Badmos said all the bodies had been deposited at the Gbagada General Hospital for autopsy.

  • Cult clash: Police arrests gang leaders, others

    The Lagos State Police Command has arrested seven suspected cultists who allegedly engaged in supremacy battle in Bariga area of the State on Saturday, leading to the killing of a 65-year-old woman.
    The deceased, Adejoke Adefuye was burnt beyond recognition when her house located at 19, Oshinfolarin Street in Bariga was set ablaze by the rival cult groups.
    Trouble had started when members of Eiye confraternity led by one Ibrahim Balogun clashed with another rival cult group known as Aiye confraternity led by a man simply identified as Gideon in a supremacy fight at the area.
    The cultists, according to reports, vandalized some vehicles parked along the road in the area, while two members of the Aiye confraternity known as Bobo and Abayomi Olubola lost their lives in the fracas.
    A statement issued on Sunday by the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Dolapo Badmus, confirmed the arrest of the cultists, as well as some of the equipment used to carry out the operation.
    Badmus said the second in command of one of the cult groups was among those arrested, while three power bikes, one live/expended cartridges and a tricycle popularly known as Keke Marwa used to get to the scene were also confiscated.
    She said the cultists have been terrorizing the area for some days and that they were able to make some arrests due to the quick response to the distress calls received concerning the fracas.
    Those arrested, according to Badmus includes Afees Olaide Fagunwa, Nurudeen Lateef, Richard Ewa, Richard Abayomi, Mohammed Musa, Kayode Dada and Adams Adelakun.
    She said that the bodies of the deceased have been deposited at the Gbagada General Hospital for autopsy by the State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit (SEHMU) while other occupants of the burnt building who sustained minor injuries were treated by the Lagos State Ambulance Services (LASAMBUS).
    She said investigation into the matter had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti.

  • Two killed in Ughelli ‘cult’ clash

    Two killed in Ughelli ‘cult’ clash

    Two suspected cultists were killed on Sunday night at Ekuigbo, on the outskirts of Ughelli, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State, during a shootout between two rival cult groups.

    The shootout, it was learnt, started at 9pm near Tozak Hotel, on the Ughelli-Warri Expressway in Ekuigbo.

    The victims were said to have died on the spot.

    Colleagues of one of the dead reportedly fled the scene while friends of their rivals carried away the remains of their member.

    The body of the other victim, said to be in his late 20s, was still in the middle of the road at 9:40pm on Sunday night, while the police from Ughelli ‘A’ Division and the vigilantes popularly called Bakassi, were seen near the hotel, investigating the incident.

    A vigilante, who spoke in confidence, said the victim died on the spot, following the gunshot he got at close range on the back of his head.

    He said: “This guy has been on our wanted list for a while. He is a hit man, who has been the brain behind most of the recent cult-related killings in Ughelli.”

    Also, a food vendor opposite the hotel gave the name of one of the victims simply as Ovigue.

    She said his father operates a record store on Market Road in Ughelli.

    She said: “We were standing here, attending to customers, when suddenly we heard gunshots with two persons falling to the ground.”

     

  • Ogun: Two dead, others injured in rival cult clashes

    Ogun: Two dead, others injured in rival cult clashes

    Two persons were feared killed and many others injured on Monday in a coordinated attack and counter – attack between rival cult groups in four communities – Agodo, Elega, Iberekodo and Adatan, in Abeokuta North Local Government Council of Ogun state.

    For over two hours, pandemonium and apprehension enveloped the affected communities with some of the  residents who had come out very early for the Monday chores dashed back into their homes for safety as the suspected rival cultists used cutlasses, guns and other weapons on each other.

    At Ago – Odo area, of the theatres of the violent confrotations, 32 years old Babatunde Alamutu lay dead in a pool of his blood while another person was said to been caught down at Elega community.

    Senor Police officers and operatives of the Police special units including men of the Department of State Security (DSS), men of the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) and scores of Police officers who were led to the troubled communities by the Abeokuta Area Commander, Presley Dodeh and the Divisional Police Officer of Adatan, Ogunjobi Tolani, had a hectic time restoring normalcy.

    The security operatives, who stormed areas in fourteen Hilux Vans beside an Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC), later raided a house believed to belong to one of the leaders of a cult group and suspected member of Oodua People’s Congress.

    At least three buildings in Sodolamu’s compound were severely vandalised while a dozen vehicles were also damaged during the violence.

    The Police Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, told The Nation that one person, Babatunde Alamutu, was killed in the attack and that his remains have since been evacuated by Police to a morgue in Abeokuta, the state capital, while 33 suspected cultists were also arrested in connection with the violence.

    Adejobi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) added that 84 suspected cultists were arrested inside a forest in Igbesa Sunday on the verge of carrying out cult related rites while seven others were nabbed in Ilaro town.

    According to him, the suspects who have been handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Ogun state Police Command would be screened to ascertain the particular cult groups each of them subscribed to.

     

     

  • 16 dead in Kwara State Polytechnic students’ cult clash

    No fewer than 16 people were at the weekend, killed in bloody clashes between suspected cult members of the Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin.
    Though, the cause of the clashes have not been ascertained, it was gathered that suspected members of Aiye and Eiye confraternities struck first at the polytechnic.
    The state police command said it has arrested more than 30 suspects in connection with a renewed clash among student cultists in the state about16 victims were reportedly killed.
    Authorities of the institution had since shut down the campus indefinitely.
    State police command’s spokesperson, Ajayi Okasanmi (ASP) confirmed the arrest of the suspects, adding that 14 people among the arrested suspects were found culpable after screening.
    Mr. Okasanmi who said investigations still continued on the development, added that the 14 suspects would be charged to court for prosecution this week.
    It was gathered that one of the victims was gunned down during screening of aspirants for the Students Union Government’s election at the weekend, while another victim was reportedly killed at Asa Dam road area of the town by suspected members of Eiye confraternity.
    An eyewitness account said that the death led to a renewed clash among members of Eiye and Aiye confraternities, adding that it later spread to other parts of the metropolis such as Agbooba, Baboko, Sabonline, Irewolede and Niger Road.
    A resident of Niger Road in the metropolis said “it all started around 4 pm at the weekend. A victim who lived at Agbooba was killed beside a bridge close to the filling station at Oja Tuntun area of Ilorin.
    “Another dead body was found at Victory Hotel, Agbooba on Sunday. One suspected cultist was murdered at Irewolede yesterday. The deceased was chased to the area and in the process was matcheted by his assailants,” the source said.

  • RRS arrest 31 suspected cult members in Lagos

    Personnel of the Lagos State Rapid Response Squad (RRS) have arrested 31 suspected members of the Awawa cult group.
    The suspects were arrested in the Agege area of the state following the unleashing of terror on innocent residents by the gang.
    ‎It was gathered that the hoodlums were nabbed at Talisco Hotel along Dopemu road; Bakare Ipiasha Street; Ile-Zik and Mangoro, all within Agege.
    ‎The Nation gathered that the RRS team followed a tip-off from a radio programme, which reported how the cultists were making lives uneasy for residents.
    Confirming the arrest, the RRS Commander, Tunji Disu, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) said those arrested included four under-aged.
    He said the under-aged were released after thorough interrogation on their mission at the point of arrest with the notorious group, adding that the remaining 27 would be charged to court.
    Disu said: “Upon intelligence report received through the popular Yoruba programme, which was further confirmed and authenticated by notable individuals living within the area, our men immediately bursted the areas mentioned on the programme and its environs with 15 RRS patrol vans.
    “31 suspects were apprehended including 4 under aged while others are still at large.
    “On arrival at the Task Force office, the under-aged gave satisfactory account of themselves and were released.”
    He warned parents and guardians to be watchful of their wards’ behaviours while they are still young, reiterating the commitment of the Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni to free Lagos of criminals and miscreants.

  • Save us from cult groups, Rivers community leader, youths call on Wike

    Save us from cult groups, Rivers community leader, youths call on Wike

    Following another round of killings by rival cult groups in Rivers State, the monarch of Ubima in Ikwerre Local government Area of Rivers State, His Royal Highness Eze Chima Ofurum and the youths of the community have called on the state governor,  Nyesom Wike, to come to their rescue.

    which has made the total number of people killed to four in Ubima community  in Ikwerre Local government Area of Rivers State, the monarch and Youths of the community have pleaded the immediate intervention of Governor Nyesom Wike.

    Eze Ofurum said the supremacy fight between the rival cult groups has got to stage where the government should act to restore peace back to the community.

    It will be recalled that the Degban cult fraternity and the Axelander cult group, last week engaged each other in a deadly fight in the area, during which four cult members were killed, while scores of villages were left various degrees of injuries.

    Ubima community, the home town of Governor Chibuike Amaechi and Sir Celestine Omehia has been engulfed in serious cult war since 2014.

    Reacting yesterday to the spate of clashes between cult groups in the community,  Eze Ofurum said he is hopeful that peace would return to the community if government intervenes and put a stop to the activities of the cult groups.

    The monarch noted that if Governor Wike truly loves the people of the community, he should mobilize security operatives to the area, adding that some of the villagers who could not withstand the heat of the fight between the rival cult groups have relocated to neigbouring communities.

    The youth leader of the community, Michael Amaechi, said the youths are ready to work with security operatives to ensure that peace is returned to the community.

    A member of the Degban cult group  who pleaded anonymity, said the latest spate of fighting started when one of their leaders, Chinedu Umezurike a.k.a Biggi,  was murder  by  the Axelander cult group.

    But a member of the Axelander, who also pleaded anonymity, while speaking with our reporter on phone, accused the Degban group of committing a lot of atrocities in the community.

     

    Abducted Delta poly lecturer regains freedom

    n Polycarp Orosevwotu, n Ughelli

     

    Abducted Delta Polytechnic lecturer, Mr. Chike Gbemudu, has been released after spending two weeks with his abductors.

    Gbemudu, a lecturer in the Directorate of General Studies department of the institution, was kidnapped in the early hours of July 3, 2015, at his residence, in the Ozoro metropolis.

    The kidnappers demanded a N20 million ransom fee for his release.

    A source in the institution, who revealed that Gbemudu was released on Wednesday, said he was receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital.

    He said, “A certain amount of money was paid to the kidnappers as ransom, but I cannot say precisely how much was paid.  The good thing is that he has been released and we thank God that for keeping him alive.”

    Contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Celestina Kalu, confirmed that Gbemudu had been released.

  • Police arraign five suspected cult members

    Five men, Adeniyi Folami, 23, Kehinde Oshodi, 22, Ololade Oyedele, 37, Lekan Oseni, 38 and Olalekan Ajiloore have been arraigned before an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrate’s Court for allegedly belonging to an unlawful society.

    The defendants and others now at large were said to have conspired to manage an unlawful society called “Eiye Confraternity at Bajulaye area of Shomolu, a suburb of Lagos.

    They were said to have committed the act at about 8am on May 2, 2015.

    They were arrested and arraigned on charges bordering on conspiracy and membership of an unlawful society.

    They denied the charges.

    The offence according to the police prosecutor, Nkankuk Etim, contravened Section 409,41and 42 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

    The defense counsel, Imelda Adebambo, applied for the bail of the defendants in the most liberal terms.

    The presiding magistrate, A.F Botoku, admitted the defendants to bail in the sum of N100, 000 and two sureties in like sum.

    The case was adjourned till September 9.

  • Ebonyi: Police foil cult initiation of students

    Ebonyi: Police foil cult initiation of students

    Ebonyi State Police command Tuesday foiled initiation of forty-six graduating students of a popular mission secondary school (name withheld) in Izzi local government area of Ebonyi State.

    The students just concluded writing their National Examination Council (NECO) and are said to be members of a cult group identified as Junior Vikings.

    They had gathered at a hotel in the metropolis located along old Enugu Road to be initiated into a senior group known as Senior Vikings when police swooped on them following a tip-off.

    As the initiation lasted, the police stormed the venue leading to the arrest of over fifteen of the students while the initiators flee.

    Police spokesman, DSP Chris Anyanwu said the initiators had dangerous items which he said they arranged for the initiation, adding that the police have mounted man-hunt to arrest the fleeing suspects.

    He explained that the initiators who are members of the Senior Vikings mandated the graduating students who dressed in white hats, red shirts and black trousers to be initiated into the senior team or be ready to face difficult condition in their lives.

    Anyanwu who regretted that cult activities have increased in the state in the last few months, announced that the command will embark on sensitization campaign to various schools in the state to enlighten the students on the need to shun cultism.

    He noted that if not checked, cultism can lead to violent crime like armed robbery and kidnapping, describing it as a societal problem.

    The spokesman revealed that the command has arrested a kingpin of a popular cult group in Ikwo local government area of the state.

    Therefore they will get out of the streets once the governor fulfils his promises.

  • Suspect held in hospital for Ibadan cult clash

    One person has been arrested in the fracas between Eiye and Aiye fraternities in Agbowo, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

    Police spokesman Adekunle Ajisebutu said:”One suspect was arrested yesterday at an undisclosed hospital, where he was receiving treatment.

    “He has been transferred to the University College Hospital (UCH), where he is receiving treatment under the watchful eyes of security operatives. After his recovery, he will be transferred to the department of criminal investigation.”

    Ajisebutu said nobody was killed, urging residents not to panic because police patrol vans had been dispatched in the area.

    “We have also ensured that adequate protection is in place to prevent a reccurrence.”

    At the Agbowo/ University of Ibadan (UI) community yesterday, many shops were closed and most streets deserted.

    Recounting their ordeal, some shop owners and residents described the incident as a terrible experience.

    A shop owner said: “I heard that some thugs were coming from Akingbola area, I thought it was child’s  play until I started hearing gunshots. They came towards the complex and down to Agbowo/Amure side, that was when we started packing and closing our shops. I think the gunshots were to scare people away.”

    A resident of Ajetumobi Street said: “How will these shop owners open? They were scared because Yahaya (alleged cultist) who was killed was still sighted on Wednesday. The incident happened around 4:30pm. Policemen have been patrolling the area which is adding to our fear because they may arrest innocent people.”

    An eyewitness said: “All of a sudden we heard sporadic shootings at the UI/Agbowo axis; it was like a war scene. They were about 50 in number. It was a clash between the Aiye and Eiye cult groups.

    “The feud started three weeks ago from a football field inside the school. They pursued themselves hotly to Ajetumobi Street and engaged themselves. Yahaya was killed because he had a leg injury and could not run very fast. Yahaya belonged to the Aiye fraternity.”