By Matthew Johnson and Florencemary Nwabueze
The Lagos State Police Command has arrested 135 suspected cultists and recovered 26 firearms during coordinated raids on criminal hideouts across the state.
The operation, carried out on Wednesday, involved Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers, Tactical Commanders and the Violent Crime Response Unit. It followed intelligence reports indicating that rival cult groups were planning attacks during the July 7 cult anniversary and initiation period.
In addition to the firearms, police recovered 16 dangerous weapons, including cutlasses, battle axes, daggers and knives. Other items seized included cult insignia, assorted charms, 11 bottles of alcoholic beverages, substances suspected to be Indian hemp and other illicit drugs, as well as six mobile phones.
The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, said in a statement that investigations were ongoing to identify and apprehend other members of the criminal gangs.
He added that all suspects would be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.
The command reaffirmed its commitment to combating cultism and other violent crimes and urged residents to remain vigilant and continue providing useful information to security agencies to enhance public safety.
