Andrew Awalebi, arrested along with Michael Thompson, 24; Koffi Kwame, 17; Daniel Olayiwola, 36, and Tosin Issac, 26, in Jakande Estate, Ajah area, Lagos suburb, belongs to Eiye Confraternity. He was arrested in the early hours of Friday at a beer parlour in company of three other cult members.
Two other members of the cult group, Adeleke Adegoke, 30; Kehinde Adebogun, 31, were arrested at a hotel in Ikorodu. The Ondo State-born leader of the cult group, Awalebi, was reportedly ratted out by Thompson, who was arrested a night before for robbery at National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos. Awalebi, who disclosed that he worked with a popular land owner in Lekki, stated that he earns N40,000 from the property dealer for helping to protect his landed property in the axis.
He told detectives: “The protective charm (Ayeta), was specially prepared for me by a herbalist in Ijebu-Isiwo, Ogun State, to shield me from gun attack by land grabbers in Lekki. “I was initiated into Eiye Confraternity in 1996 by Banji Omisore and later in 1997 I was promoted as overall leader after the death of Omisore.
“We are eight in number. We meet early in the morning or late at night. I was arrested by SARS sometime ago, when my cult group caused mayhem in Jakande Estate, inflicting injuries on passers-by in the area.”
While confirming the arrest, the Public Relations Officer, Lagos Police Command, Superintendent Dolapo Badmus, warned parents and guardians to be wary of their children and wards’ behaviours. She urged residents to report to the nearest police station around them any suspicious movement, “as this will help police nip cultism in the bud.” The suspects have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigative Department, SCID, Panti.
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