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The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni has said that there would be no rest for criminals in Ikorodu and the entire Lagos metropolis.
Owoseni made this known while his men combed the Ikorodu area in search of cultists of the inglorious Badoo group which have unleashed untold terror on residents of the Ikorodu division of Lagos State.
Several of the hoodlums have been arrested in the various police raid, while a number have been charged to court.
For about two months, the fear of Badoo cult was the beginning of wisdom for residents of Ikorodu and its environs.
The cultists had unleashed terror on Ikorodu and its environs during which reign several innocent residents were murdered in cold blood. The police and other security agencies however have had their hands full in the past one month smoking out members of the cult group and making several arrests and prosecution.
Just last Friday, seven alleged members of the cult accused of bestial killings in the affected areas were docked before an Ebute Metta Magistrates’ Court. They were charged with conspiracy and membership of an unlawful society.
The accused, Afolabi Kessington, 25, Ismaila Shaibu, 36, Mutiu Nurudeen, 26, Ibrahim Bello, 25, Lukman Mohammed, 35, Gift Itafa, 50 and Sheriff Adewunmi, 23, all pleaded not guilty.
The Prosecutor, ASP Fidelis Dike, said that the accused committed the offences between July 3 and 5 at Powerline, Agbala area of Ikorodu and also at Irawo Estate, Owode Onirin in Lagos.
According to him the accused cultists had conspired and gathered in the aforementioned areas to have their meeting which was deemed illegal and contravened Section 42(a) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The Magistrate, Mrs. Kofo Ariyo admitted the accused each to a bail of N200,000 with two sureties in like sum, one of whom must be a blood relation while the case was adjourned till August 9.
Similarly, in a bid to proffer a lasting solution to the security situation, the Lagos State Police Command with operatives of the Lagos Neighborhood Safety Corps (LNSC) and the Ikorodu vigilante (Onyabo) group on Wednesday 12th July had stormed Ikorodu on a thorough security check.
The raid came as a result of the security meeting the previous week between the security agencies and major stake holders in the various communities around Ikorodu.
The raid which saw a lot of arrests was carried out simultaneously at the flashpoints of Ita Elewa, Ladega market, Majidun,Ogolonto,Ota- Ona, Odogunyan,Igbogbo areas of the Ikorodu division.
The patrol team headed by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP Operations, Edgar Imohimi. Other senior officers who led various teams included, ACP Alamutu Abiodun, RRS Commander, DC Disu Olatunji.
Meanwhile the raid yielded good result as major arrests were made. Other criminals who took to their heels after sighting security operatives at the Ita Elewa axis were easily rounded off.
In all, over 30 suspected criminals were apprehended at the Ita Elewa axis while fleeing commercial motorcyclists apprehended were also found with huge quantity of cannabis.
Some of the suspects also had tattoos inscribed all over their bodies which gave them away as cult members. During the raid, a community leader who has been on the police list was arrested with other five suspects allegedly involved with Badoo cult group.
Assuring the general public of adequate security in Lagos area, the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni said, “There shall be no breathing space for criminals in Ikorodu till the town is back to its normal peaceful state.”
However, Chairman of the LNSC, Mr. Israel Ajayi has appealed to the public to stop killing suspected members of the cult group. According to him, jungle justice is not a civilized approach to riding communities of criminal tendencies.
Ajao, a retired Police DIG, made the appeal during a security town hall meeting organised by the corps for the communities in and around Ikorodu.
“If anyone arrests any suspect, such should be handed over to the police for investigation and prosecution. Jungle justice is not the solution to crimes and criminality in Ikorodu areas.
“Mob action on suspected criminals is an uncivilised way of handling a criminal. I therefore, appeal that such action should stop. The police in Lagos are doing well and they have all it takes to handle the situation.
“All they need is information. That is the reason for this meeting. Badoo boys are human beings, they live with us; people must say what they know about them.
“I want all private security organisations to register with LNSC so that we can work together,” he urged.
Traditional rulers, religious leaders, transporters, market people, youths, the military, paramilitary agencies and private security organisations participated at the meeting.
The traditional ruler of Imota, Oba Mudasiru Agoro, who spoke on behalf of traditional rulers urged security agencies, particularly the police to post their intelligence officers to the grassroots to get information.
In the last two months, close to a dozen suspected members of the Badoo cult have been killed by mob in Ikorodu area while more than 200 suspected cultists had been arrested in different parts of Ikorodu.
Meanwhile, kudos must be given to the Lagos State Police Command for not resting on its oars since the menace of the Badoo cult emerged in Ikorodu and its environs.
The state Police Command had worked round the clock to solve the security issues deploying men and officers to combat the situation. Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations Mr. Edgar also recently held a night watch meeting with representatives of various communities, herbalists and religious groups in Ikorodu area.
Edgar who represented Commissioner of Police Mr. Fatai Owoseni at the meeting met with all traditional doctors, herbalists, leaders of Christian and Muslim groups and community heads in the area to brainstorm on ways to put a final end to the menace which has claimed several innocent lives.
Edgar had assured the stakeholders that the police would fish out all criminals especially the cult group called Badoo which has been terrorising the area.
“The police has made an agreement to set up security community watch with strong and committed partnership between the vigilante groups and all other security operatives in the area,” Edgar assured at the brainstorming night watch session at Ikorodu.
He however urged all traditional rulers and leaders to speak with their people to voluntary produce able bodied men to join in the fight against ritualists and all other kinds of criminal activities.
“All persons within the area must have valid means of identification to avoid being arrested during police routine checks,” he said.
He also urged Church leaders to secure their worship environment during vigils.
In addition, the officer promised that special lines would be attached to all vigilante groups for easy access to security operatives in case of emergency, urging leaders to set up bonfires to keep the community illuminated during the nights.
Edgar however pleaded that residents should cooperate with security operatives to make Ikorodu a better environment, promising to arrest the Baale of any area where extrajudicial killing is carried out.
“There cannot be ritual killings without the aid of herbalists,” he noted asking herbalists to fish out the bad eggs among them to avoid name tarnishing.
Also at the night watch meeting were Lieutenant Colonel Benedict Ezeh, Commanding officer 174 Battalion, Ikorodu, CSP Lanre Edegbai from Area N, community leaders, traditional, religious leaders and herbalists operating in Ikorodu and its environs.
