Lagos State Police Command has arrested 100 suspected cultists and recovered sophisticated weapons between Sunday and Monday, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Zubairu Muazu, said on Tuesday.

Muazu who paraded the suspects before newsmen in Lagos, said the arrest followed information that suspects allegedly planned to celebrate cultism day.

He said the command had initiated technology driven investigation to enhance crime prevention in the state. Police “Operation Puff Adder was launched earlier while Operation Flush was launched on June 10, 2019 aimed at combatting the menace of cultism and gangsterism in Lagos state.

“100 cultists were arrested around Lagos and environs to which 70 of them were charged to court while 30 are still under investigation.

“We identified over 10 active cult groups and gangs in various parts of the state and took the battle to their door steps.”

He added: “Through massive raids on cultists strong holds among other strategies, we successfully prevented any kind of activity or killing in the name of 7/7 Celebration.”

Muazu said that four Beretta Pistol with seven live ammunition, one double Barrel gun, 8 locally made pistols, 25 cutlasses, axes and other assorted weapons were recovered from the suspects. “We are indeed winning the war and will sustain it until they are totally defeated,” he said. Meanwhile, a suspect, has claimed that the 50-year-old accountant, Rasaki Balogun, found dead with his mistress, Muyibat Alabi, in his house at No. 16, Taiwo Oke Street, Victory Estate, Ejigbo in Lagos, were murdered by the deceased’s wife, Akorede Balogun.

The 25-year-old suspect, Oguegbu Promise told Journalists on Tuesday that Mrs Balogun had forcefully poured a liquid substance suspected to be poison into the mouth of the deceased persons.

Promise, a South-Korea returnee, and a tenant of the late Balogun, claimed that he was an eyewitness to the said murder perpetrated by Mrs. Balogun and another man. He said the wife of the deceased had begged him not to expose her and had in the process handed him the key to her husband’s car as bribe.

The suspect was paraded by the police commissioner at the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Panti, Yaba.

“I am a returnee from South Korea but was yet to be granted a visa back, when the incident happened on June 18, my landlord’s wife came around, she called me to come and assist her with something.

“I asked her what it was and she said I should join her in the main building which I did. I saw a tall huge man in the sitting room, the man ordered me to tie the landlord’s girlfriend hand. My landlord and his girlfriend were shouting for help, but there was nothing I could do.

“I did not kill my landlord, it was my landlord’s wife that poured something in the man and her girlfriend’s mouth. I was the one that saw her putting it.

“Mrs Balogun gave me her husband’s car key, and said I should be quiet and not expose her. Why I did not report to the police was because I was scared,” the suspect told journalists. Promise, however, said Mrs. Balogun and the said man who was an accomplice in the crime were arrested by the police, noting that their whereabout was unknown to him as he had not set eyes on them for some days.

“They arrested the woman and I don’t know where she is now, even the other guy that was with her was also arrested, I don’t know where they took them to.

“I am not the one to be carrying their cross, they are not innocent of this crime. The police should also bring them to answer to the crime,” he said.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Lagos state police command had issued a statement on the death of the deceased persons, saying they were found dead in the named address.

The Police stated that it was the wife of the late Balogun that brought the incident to the knowledge of the police. It was also reported that Mrs. Balogun lived at No. 2, Igbehindun Estate, New Haven, Iba, while the late husband lived at the mentioned address. (NAN)

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