The Lagos State Police Command have foiled an alleged cult initiation ceremony in the Egbeda area of Lagos and arrested four suspected cultists during a covert midnight operation that also led to the recovery of firearms, live ammunition and other dangerous weapons.

A statement issued by the command on thursday by the public relations officer, SP Abimbola Adebisi, said that the suspects were allegedly linked to cult-related violence and other criminal activities within Alimosho and surrounding communities.

The suspects were identified as Nurudeen Ganiu, 34; Oluwaleke Fagbula, 38; Emmanuel Silas, 41; and Nurudeen Abdullahi, 41.

According to the statement, the suspects were apprehended following credible intelligence about an alleged midnight cult initiation ceremony taking place in Egbeda.

Acting on the information, police operatives launched a covert operation which led to the arrest of the suspects.

During the raid, officers recovered one locally made cut-to-size pistol, one English Beretta pistol loaded with 10 live cartridges, and a jack knife.

The command said further investigations revealed that one of the suspects is an alleged cult gang leader and a rusticated student of a university in Ogun State who was reportedly expelled in 2022 over cult-related activities.

Police investigations also showed that the group had allegedly been involved in thuggery and terrorising residents of Egbeda and nearby areas for some time.

“The suspects reportedly confessed to being active members of the Eiye Confraternity, a notorious secret cult group,” the statement said.

The police added that the gang allegedly operated with motorcycles, using them to attack unsuspecting residents and disrupt gatherings at gunpoint.

The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CPTijani Fatai, commended the operatives for what he described as their professionalism and swift response which led to the successful operation.

He assured residents that the command remained committed to tackling cultism and other violent crimes across the state.

The police boss also urged members of the public to remain vigilant and continue supporting security agencies with timely and credible information through the command’s emergency lines.

The Niger State Police Command has arrested six suspects in connection with a violent clash between rival youth groups in Minna that left two persons dead following the recent Salah celebrations.

The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, saying the suspects were apprehended in connection with thuggery activities around the Kpakungu area involving youths from the Kutirko and Kulogbe communities.

According to the police, the clash occurred on May 28 and resulted in the deaths of two persons, prompting an intensive investigation by security operatives.

Those arrested include Nura Abubakar, 20, and Sufyanu Adamu, 20, both from Katsina State; Yunusa Ibrahim, 18, from Niger State; Yahuza Abdullahi, 30, from Sokoto State; Aliyu Abdulhamid, 20, from Bauchi State; and Musa Abubakar, 18, from Sokoto State.

Abiodun said the suspects had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation aimed at identifying and arresting other accomplices involved in the deadly violence.

In a related development, the police arrested an 18-year-old suspect, Mahmud Usman of Gbeganu, over a viral video in which he allegedly threatened residents of the Gurara, Albishir and Gbeganu communities with acts of thuggery.

The police spokesperson said the suspect had provided useful information on other members of the group, adding that efforts were ongoing to apprehend them.

Meanwhile, the command also announced the arrest of 26 suspected hoodlums during a raid on criminal hideouts around Malam Auwal Ibrahim Market and adjoining areas in Kwamba, Suleja.

Items recovered during the operation included 38 wraps of suspected cannabis, nine wraps of suspected marijuana, four machetes, an axe, a jackknife and charms.

Tension has again gripped residents of the Byazhin Across area of Kubwa in the Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, following a fresh kidnapping incident that left a local vigilante member dead and four residents abducted.

DAILY POST gathered that the gunmen stormed the community behind the Catholic Church area around 1:00 a.m. on Thursday , June 4, firing several gunshots as residents panicked for safety.

Sources in the area said the attackers invaded several houses during the operation and abducted four residents, including an 11year old child.

Residents told our correspondent that a local vigilante member who sustained gunshot injuries during the attack was confirmed dead on arrival at the hospital.

According to eyewitnesses, the gunmen also carted away food items from some of the affected homes before fleeing the area.

The latest attack has heightened concerns among residents, who said the community has witnessed repeated security breaches in recent months.

One resident described the situation as alarming, saying the recurring attacks have left many families living in fear.

“This repeated attack on Byazhin Across is causing huge fear in us. Nowhere is safe. President Tinubu, even your FCT is not safe,” the resident said.

Another resident questioned the effectiveness of security measures in the area, alleging that attacks have continued despite patrols by security operatives.

“The Army only patrol and nothing is done. There’s repeated attack. This time the bandits came with a bus. We are not safe,” the resident said.