Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force attached to the Zone 2 Command headquarters in Onikan, Lagos, have arrested seven suspected members of a violent criminal network believed to be involved in serial killings, armed robbery, cult-related activities, and other violent offences across parts of Lagos State.
The arrests were carried out following an intelligence-led operation by the Zonal Puff Adder tactical team on March 3, 2026, targeting what security sources described as a heavily fortified criminal hideout located in Orile Iganmu, an area long identified by law enforcement as a hotspot for violent street gangs and cult clashes.
Police authorities said the operation began with the arrest of a 23-year-old suspect identified as Fawas Opeyemi Alarape, also known by the alias Karube, who was allegedly linked to multiple violent crimes in the area. Investigators say information obtained from him led operatives to a second location described as a “Lion’s Den” on Adeleye Street, where five additional suspects were apprehended during a coordinated raid.
The suspects arrested at the hideout were identified as Soliu Ahmed, 23, known as Tinko Butcher Man; Oluwaseun Bolarinwa, 26, known as Porta; Bamidele Mustapha, 33, known as Mentor; Abass Abideen, 22, known as Omo Olomo; and Salisu Ali, 24, known as Omo Hausa. Another suspect, Atanda Lukmon, 30, also known as Bansa, was separately arrested at White Sand in the same Orile Iganmu axis.
During the operation, police recovered several items believed to be used in criminal activities, including a locally made shotgun, cutlasses, a knife, a claw hammer, live and expended cartridges, and assorted charms. Officers also described the environment as a fortified criminal enclave where suspected cultists reportedly gathered and coordinated attacks.
According to police accounts, preliminary interrogations led to confessional statements in which some of the suspects allegedly admitted involvement in a series of violent incidents, including murder, armed robbery, and coordinated cult-related killings in different parts of Lagos.
One of the suspects, Alarape, was said to have confessed to participating in the killing of a tricycle operator identified as Ikujowolo at Shitta Under Bridge in Surulere, where the victim was reportedly attacked and robbed before being killed. Investigators further allege that the crime involved accomplices, including an individual identified as Ahmed Oladele, also known as Small Messi, who remains at large.
Police sources also linked some of the suspects to other killings in Orile Iganmu, including the deaths of Olumide Adegbite, 40, on February 14, 2026, and Kehinde Shuaibu, 37, and Monday Okoro, 35, on February 18, 2026. These incidents are believed to be part of a broader pattern of violent crimes associated with cult rivalries and armed robbery operations in the area.
The Nigeria Police Force, Zone 2 Command, said the suspects are currently in custody and assisting investigators as efforts continue to track down other members of the alleged criminal network who are still at large. Authorities confirmed that the suspects will be charged to court upon completion of investigations on counts bordering on murder, armed robbery, cultism, illegal possession of firearms, theft, and criminal conspiracy.
The Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 2, Olohundare Moshood Jimoh, commended the operatives involved in the operation, describing the arrests as a significant breakthrough in ongoing efforts to curb violent crime across Lagos and Ogun States. He praised the tactical team for what he called professionalism and courage in confronting what he described as entrenched criminal elements operating within densely populated communities.
Security analysts note that Orile Iganmu and surrounding areas have long been associated with cult-related violence, street gang activity, and occasional clashes linked to territorial control and illicit revenue sources. The latest arrests are being viewed by authorities as part of a broader strategy to dismantle organized criminal cells operating within urban communities.
Residents in affected areas have repeatedly expressed concerns over rising incidents of violent crime, calling for sustained police presence and intelligence-driven operations to restore safety and stability. Law enforcement agencies, in response, have intensified targeted raids and surveillance operations aimed at disrupting criminal networks and preventing retaliatory violence.
Police authorities say investigations are ongoing and additional arrests are possible as intelligence gathering continues. They also reiterated their commitment to ensuring that all individuals linked to violent crimes are prosecuted in accordance with the law.
The case has once again highlighted concerns about cultism and organized street violence in Lagos, where security agencies continue to battle evolving criminal networks that operate across multiple local government areas. Authorities maintain that sustained intelligence-led policing remains central to addressing the threat and improving public safety across the state.
Further updates are expected as investigations progress and suspects are formally arraigned in court.
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