Ayodele Olalere
One Sanusi Adedayo has raised alarm over the safety of his family following the attack on his family home by a cult group.
On December 12, 2020, the peaceful community of Akinogun in Lagos where Adedayo’s family lived was violently disrupted when the notorious Vikings Confraternity, also known as the Supreme Vikings Confraternity (SVC), launched a brutal attack on Adedayo’s family home at 40 Church Street, Akinogun.
The attack which left a lasting impact on the neighbourhood raised serious concerns about the safety of Adedayo and his family.
According to residents of the area , a group of armed men stormed the home of Sanusi Adedayo, a member of the group but who now resides in the United States, causing significant damage to the property and issuing menacing threats to his mother and sister. The attackers claimed that Adedayo had stolen half a million dollars sent to his account in America, accusing him of betrayal and theft.
“These men were ruthless,” said a neighbour who witnessed the incident. They were shouting, brandishing weapons, and threatening to kill anyone who got in their way. It was terrifying. The whole area was in a state of panic.”
Another community member added, “We had to call the police to stop them. The police arrived quickly and managed to disperse the attackers, but the fear they instilled in us remains. We are all still very scared.”
The attack was a grim reminder of the violent tactics employed by the Vikings Confraternity. Despite not being present during the assault, Adedayo’s mother and sister bore the brunt of the cult’s wrath. The gang issued explicit death threats, warning that Adedayo would be killed if he ever returned to Nigeria. The swift response from law enforcement managed to restore some order, but the psychological impact on the family and community was profound.
Adedayo who is now pleading for justice and safety for his family noted that the Vikings Confraternity and similar groups in Nigeria posed a serious threat to the safety of the community, adding that the cult’s ability to operate with impunity and their willingness to employ extreme violence underscores the urgent need for stronger measures to combat these criminal organisations.
“For Mr. Adedayo, the prospect of returning to Nigeria is fraught with danger,” a community leader commented. “The cult’s threats are serious, and their track record shows they are capable of carrying out their promises of violence. The Nigerian government and international bodies must prioritise the dismantling of these cult groups to ensure the safety of individuals like Adedayo and his family.”
There have been calls from Nigerians for government and law enforcement agents to take more robust action to protect citizens from the grip of such deadly organisations so as to eradicate the menace of cult organizations from Nigerian society.