Police nab ‘wanted cult leader’ in Lagos, recover weapons

The Lagos state police command has arrested one Yusuf Omidele, leader of a notorious cult group in Ikorodu, along with members of his gang.

In a statement on Friday, Bala Elkana, command spokesperson, said Omidele, was an ex-convict and had been on the police wanted list.

According to him, Omidele, who had been sentenced to prison on different occasions, completed his last sentence in 2014.

Elkana said the command deployed its anti-cultism unit and patrol teams to the Isikalu palace and Solomade areas of the community after it received a distress call that two rival cult groups were engaging themselves in a supremacy battle.

Omidele was said to have led his gang in a reprisal attack on the rival group whom they accused of killing the wife of one of their leaders.

The police said it arrested him with 20 other suspects, who confessed to being members of secret cults terrorising the area.

Four locally made pistols, eight machetes and three daggers were recovered from them.

Elkana stated that the suspects will be charged to court soon.

He disclosed that Zubairu Muazu, the state commissioner of police, also met with traditional rulers, religious leaders, elder statesmen, parents, youths and other stakeholders on how to bring lasting solution to the incessant cult activities in the area.