By Joy Anyim
A University of Lagos (Unilag) undergraduate and 99 others were on Sunday, July 7, arrested by operatives of the Lagos State Police Command for cultism.
The suspects, mainly members of Aiye and Eiye confraternity, had reportedly gathered to mark the annual 7/7 celebration when police operative stormed their hideout in Ejigbo and other parts of Lagos.
The University undergraduate who simply identified himself as Lawrence said he was a 200 level student of Botany at Unilag.
The suspect denied membership of any cult group saying he had only gone to a field at Ejigbo to play football when he was arrested.
He said ” My name is Lawrence. I am a 200level student of Botany at University of Lagos. I went to train when the police from the Ejigbo police station came to arrest some cult boys in a hall inside the field.”
Another suspect who gave his name as Akin said ” I am a member of the Aye confraternity. I am a musician and was invited to play music.”
The Commissioner of Police, CP Zubairu Muazu who paraded the suspects at the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Panti in Yaba said the suspects were arrested by operatives of the ‘Operation Flush’
Muazu said the suspects had disguised to be having a birthday party when they were arrested with guns, cutlasses and axes. “ The command launched ‘Operation Flush on 10the June 2019. Operation Puff Adder was launched earlier aimed at combating the menace of cultism and gangsterism in Lagos state. All the operations are intelligence driven.
“ We identified over ten cult groups and gangs in various parts of the state and took the battle to their door steps. Lagos state was in the past two weeks tender with apprehension of the activities of cultists come July 7.
“ The command through massive raids on cultists strong holds among other strategies ,successfully prevented any kind of activity or killings in the name of 7/7 celebration. A hundred cultists and gangsters were arrested within this period,” the CP explained.
Speaking further, Muazu said, “ We have charged 70 of them to court while 30 are still under investigation. We recovered four Beretta pistols, with seven live ammunition,one double barrel gun, 8 locally made pistols, 25 cutlasses and axes and other assorted weapons.”