The Nigeria Police Force, Zone 2 Command Headquarters, Onikan, Lagos, has detained three suspected cultists operating across Lagos and Ogun.

It also recovered a locally-fabricated double-barrel cut-to-size pistol from one of the suspects.

The spokesperson for the command, DSP Gbenga Afolayan, disclosed this in a statement in Lagos on Friday.

Afolayan said the arrests followed credible information from a member of the public about activities of suspected cultists in Ikorodu, Lagos, and its environs.

He said that detectives attached to the Quick Intervention Squad of the command began surveillance on the suspects and launched a coordinated operation on Sept. 3.

According to him, the operation led to the arrest of a 33-year-old suspect at Ifo, Ogun.

He said that the arrest facilitated the arrest of two other suspects at Ikorodu.

He said that preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect arrested at Ifo served as the link between the two other suspects.

The spokesperson said that during interrogation, the suspect from who the pistol was recovered claimed that the pistol was given to him by a friend at large.

He added that the suspect confessed to being a member of the Eiye confraternity alongside the other two suspects.

According to him, efforts are ongoing to apprehend other members of the alleged criminal network.

The image maker said the suspects would be prosecuted on conclusion of investigations.

He said the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) in charge of the zone, Mr Olohundare Jimoh, commended the operatives for diligence and successful recovery of the firearm.

“Jimoh, who commended the operatives for a job well done, said that removing firearms from the hands of criminal elements remained critical to maintaining public safety.

“The AIG charged the operatives to intensify efforts to track down other members of the alleged criminal network,” Afolayan said.

The spokesperson reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting lives and property and ensuring that criminal elements had no safe haven in Lagos and Ogun.

He urged members of the public to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious persons or activities to the nearest police station or through official complaint channels. (NAN)