The Lagos State Police Command said it arrested some suspected cultists setting up an occultic shrine known as “Indian Occultic Temple” in the Ikorodu area of Lagos.
The state Commissioner of Police, Fayoade Adegoke, disclosed this at the command headquarters in Ikeja on Wednesday while parading a total of 34 suspects who were arrested for various offences in different parts of the state.
Adegoke said, “On January 13, 2024, around 3pm, based on credible intelligence that some boys were seen making occultic practices around Agufoye area of Ikorodu, operatives of the command swiftly arrested one Ifeanyi Nwodo, 39, and Daniel Johnson, 32.”
The CP noted that investigations revealed that the suspects were trying “to set up their occultic shrine named ‘Indian Occultic Temple’ with the intent to defraud victims by making them believe that the oracle has powers of making them rich and successful. Several occultic items including a moulded human head and crafted human effigies were found in their shrine.”
The CP also said the command arrested some suspects who snatched an AK-47 rifle from a police officer.
According to the CP, the suspects include Toheeb Oyekunle, Victor Jimoh, Samuel Okanlawon, Segun Babatunde, Pelumi Ajuloye, Mohammed Ibrahim and Bello Ahmed who were arrested “in connection with the invasion that took place at Iju Ishaga area of the state where the suspects snatched an AK-47 rifle from a police officer.
The suspects confessed to the crime and other criminal activities within Lagos and its environs.
One cut-to-size AK-47 was recovered from them.
The CP noted that “all suspects are to be charged to court after investigation.”
The parade of suspects was the command’s first under Adegoke’s leadership
Adegoke, in mid-December 2023, assumed the office to replace Idowu Owohunwa, who was promoted to the rank of Assistant Inspector-General of Police.
The new CP on Wednesday reiterated that under his watch, he would “continue to do everything operationally possible to ensure that crime and criminality is brought to the barest minimum in the state.”
