Juliet Ezeh
The Lagos State Police Command has paraded 118 suspects arrested across various parts of the state over alleged involvement in cultism, armed robbery, murder, kidnapping, vandalism, illegal possession of firearms, and other criminal activities.
The Commissioner of Police, Fatai Tijani, disclosed this on Wednesday while addressing journalists during the parade of suspects. He stated that the arrests were the result of sustained intelligence-led operations and coordinated raids carried out in identified crime-prone areas across Lagos.
Among those paraded was 38-year-old Emmanuel Ogbu, who allegedly admitted to returning to cult activities after serving a previous jail term in 2018 for a similar offence. According to the police, his case reflects a broader trend of repeat offences currently under investigation.
The command revealed that a major operation conducted on April 27, 2026, in areas including Ilasan, Lekki, and Maroko led to the arrest of 58 suspects. The individuals were allegedly linked to street violence, phone snatching, armed attacks, and harassment of residents within the Lekki axis.
Police authorities said the suspects operated in groups and targeted unsuspecting members of the public, particularly in traffic-prone areas. Victims were reportedly dispossessed of mobile phones and other valuables before the suspects fled the scene.
Items recovered during the operation included 11 locally fabricated Beretta pistols, one cut-to-size pistol, one standard Beretta pistol, two Dane guns, nine telecom power batteries, four cutlasses, one knife, and 21 bags of suspected Indian hemp. Assorted charms and other items described as incriminating exhibits were also recovered.
In a separate development, the police confirmed the arrest of two suspects, Elijah Emmanuel, aged 23, and Tony Ekwane Oghanetega, aged 21, in connection with a kidnapping incident in the Lucy Fibre area of Ikorodu.
According to investigators, the suspects were allegedly involved in the abduction and killing of 17-year-old Thomson Omokhafe Adams on April 22, 2026. The police further stated that ongoing interrogation linked the duo to another kidnapping and murder case that occurred on November 30, 2025.
In that earlier incident, a female victim was reportedly killed after a ransom of N300,000 had been collected by the perpetrators. Authorities said investigations into both cases are ongoing.
The Commissioner of Police also provided details on an investigation into the theft of more than 650 telecom power assets recorded between 2025 and 2026.
He explained that the investigation led to the arrest of Orji Emeka in Ikeja. The suspect reportedly assisted detectives in apprehending another individual, Obiagwu Kingsley, in Alausa. A third suspect, Oluwatosin Sani, was arrested in the Gbogbo area of Ikorodu, where nine telecom power batteries were recovered.
Further operations by the command led to the arrest of eight suspected cultists during a raid carried out in Iwaya on April 22, 2026. Additionally, 20 other suspects linked to cult-related violence and armed robbery were arrested on Lagos Island on April 20, 2026.
Police authorities stated that the suspects are believed to be members of rival confraternities, including the Aiye and Eiye groups. The groups were allegedly involved in violent clashes and attacks reported in different parts of the state earlier in April.
Fatai Tijani assured that investigations into all cases are ongoing. He stated that the suspects would be charged to court upon the conclusion of interrogations and forensic analysis.
The police command reiterated its commitment to tackling criminal activities across Lagos through intelligence gathering, targeted operations, and collaboration with other security agencies.