Lagos: Police arrest three suspected cultists, recover double-barrel gun

Operatives of the Zone 2 Police Command, Onikan, Lagos, have arrested three suspected cultists in the Ikorodu area of the state and recovered a locally fabricated, cut-to-size double-barrel pistol from them.

The command also said it had commenced efforts to apprehend other members of the alleged criminal network.

The Police Public Relations Officer of the command, DSP Afolayan Gbenga, confirmed the arrests in a statement issued over the weekend.

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According to him, the operation was part of the command’s sustained efforts to curb cultism, violent crimes and other criminal activities across Lagos and Ogun.

He said the operation followed credible intelligence from a member of the public concerning the activities of suspected cultists allegedly terrorising residents of Ikorodu and its environs.

Afolayan said detectives attached to the Zonal Quick Intervention Squad commenced surveillance on the suspects before launching a coordinated operation on September 3, 2026.

He said the operation led to the arrest of one of the suspects, Michael Badejo, at Ifo, Ogun State, adding that his arrest subsequently facilitated the apprehension of two other suspects in Ikorodu, Lagos State.

The suspects were identified as Michael Badejo, aka Senior, 33; Fatai Oladipupo, aka Labalaba, 36; and Kamarudeen Salau, aka Otunba, 46.

One locally fabricated, double-barrel cut-to-size pistol was recovered during the operation.

According to the police spokesperson, preliminary investigations revealed that Badejo, who is based in Ogun State, allegedly served as a link between Oladipupo and Salau, who works as a security man in Ikorodu.

Investigators further established that Oladipupo, who was in possession of the firearm, contacted Badejo to arrange for its repair. Badejo subsequently introduced him to Salau for the purported repair.

Afolayan said Salau allegedly offered to buy the firearm from Oladipupo instead of repairing it.

During interrogation, Oladipupo, aka Labalaba, reportedly claimed that the pistol had been given to him by a friend who is currently at large.

He also reportedly confessed to being a member of the Eiye confraternity, alongside the other two suspects.

The police spokesperson said efforts were ongoing to arrest other members of the alleged criminal network, adding that the suspects in custody would be prosecuted after the conclusion of investigations.

The Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 2 Headquarters, AIG Olohundare Moshood Jimoh, commended the operatives for their diligence and the successful recovery of the firearm.

Jimoh stressed that removing illegal firearms from the hands of criminal elements remained critical to maintaining public safety.

He charged the operatives to sustain the momentum and intensify efforts to track down other members of the criminal network.

The AIG also reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting lives and property and ensuring that criminal elements have no safe haven in Lagos and Ogun states.

He urged members of the public to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious persons or activities to the nearest police station or through official complaint channels.