The Lagos State Police Command has arrested four suspected notorious cultists and recovered firearms, live ammunition, and a knife during a midnight operation in the Egbeda area of the state.

The suspects, identified as Nurudeen Ganiu, 34; Oluwaleke Fagbula, 38; Emmanuel Silas, 41; and Nurudeen Abdullahi, 41, were apprehended following credible intelligence that suspected cult members were conducting an initiation ceremony within the community.

According to the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Adebisi, operatives of the command swiftly launched a covert operation based on the intelligence report, leading to the successful arrest of the suspects.

Items recovered from the suspects include a locally made cut-to-size pistol, an English Beretta pistol loaded with 10 rounds of live ammunition, and a jack knife.

Preliminary investigations revealed that one of the suspects is an alleged cult gang kingpin and a former student of a university in Ogun State who was reportedly rusticated in 2022 over cult-related activities.

The police further disclosed that the gang had allegedly been involved in thuggery and violent activities, terrorising residents of Egbeda and surrounding communities. Investigators also established that the suspects are members of the Eiye Confraternity, a notorious secret cult group.

According to police findings, the gang typically used motorcycles to carry out attacks on unsuspecting members of the public and disrupt social gatherings at gunpoint.

The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, commended the operatives for their professionalism and prompt response, which led to the successful operation. He reiterated the command’s commitment to combating cultism and other violent crimes across the state.

The police also urged residents to remain vigilant and continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies to aid crime prevention and law enforcement efforts.

The suspects remain in police custody as investigations continue.