Police arrest four Aiye cult members in Mushin
Lagos Police have detained four suspected Aiye Confraternity members, recovering a locally made Beretta pistol and 9mm ammunition during an intelligence-led operation in Mushin.
The Police Command in Lagos State has detained four suspected members of the Aiye Confraternity cult group and recovered a locally made Beretta pistol and a 9mm live ammunition in Mushin. The command spokesperson, SP Abimbola Adebisi, disclosed this in a statement on Monday in Lagos.
She said the command’s Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) apprehended the suspects following credible intelligence on the activities of cult groups in the area. According to her, VCRU operatives first apprehended one of the suspects, who admitted to being a former chairman of the Aiye Confraternity. “The suspect made useful disclosures about the activities of the group, including his alleged involvement in several killings in Mushin and other parts of Lagos,” she said.
Information provided by him led operatives to Idi-Oro, Mushin, where they recovered one locally made Beretta pistol and a 9mm live ammunition. Three other suspected members of the group were subsequently apprehended at Ojuwoye, Mushin. The suspects admitted to being members of the Aiye Confraternity and disclosed that the recovered firearm was allegedly obtained from one Rilwan, described as the group’s number one member.
The arrest is a significant blow to cult activities in Mushin. The Aiye Confraternity is one of the most notorious cult groups in Lagos, and the arrest of its former chairman is a major breakthrough. The recovery of a firearm suggests that the group is well-armed. The police’s intelligence-led approach is commendable.
This echoes the 2021 crackdown on cult groups in Lagos, which also involved intelligence-led operations. The mechanism then was different, but the result was the same: a focus on disrupting criminal networks.
The winners: the police, who have made significant arrests; and the residents of Mushin, who may benefit from improved security. The losers: the cult group, which has lost members; and the Nigerian public, who face continued cult violence.
Bottom Line: Police have arrested four Aiye cult members in Mushin. A former chairman is among them. The question is whether the arrests will reduce cult violence or just displace it.