The leader of a cult group who was over the weekend arrested by the operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of the Lagos State Police Command, in Jakande Estate, Ajah area, Lagos, has said that no amount of gun – shot can penetrate his body! The cult suspect, Andrew Awalebi, 35, who belonged to Eiye Confraternity, was arrested on Friday morning at a beer parlour in company of three other cult members around 8am.
Two other members of the cult group, Adegoke Adeleke (30), Kehinde Adebogun (31), were also picked up early Saturday morning in a hotel in Ikorodu.
Awalebi, from Ilaje Local Government, Ondo State, was given out by Michael Thompson of the same Eiye Confraternity as their cult leader. Thompson was arrested a night before for robbery at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.
Awalebi, who disclosed that he worked with a popular land owner in Lekki stated that he earns N40, 000 monthly from the property dealer for helping to protect his landed property in the axis.
He also told investigators that the gun – shot protective charm was specially prepared for him by a herbalist in Ijebu – Isiwo, Ogun State to save him from the gunshots of land grabbers in Lekki.
He added, “I was initiated into Eiye Confraternity in 1996 by Banji Omisore and later in 1997 I was promoted as its topmost leader after the death of Omisore.
“We are an eight-member cult group. We meet very early in the morning or late at night. I had been arrested by Special Anti – Robbery Squad sometime ago when my cult group caused mayhem in Jakande Estate, inflicting injuries on passers-by in the area”, he disclosed.
Arrested alongside Awalebi were Michael Thompson (24), Adegoke Adeleke (30), Kehinde Adebogun (31), Koffi Kwame (17), Daniel Olayiwola (36) and Tosin Issac (26) and they all confessed to being members of Eiye Confraternity.
While confirming the arrest, the image maker of the Lagos Police Command, Superintendent of Police, Dolapo Badmus, warned parents and guardians to be wary of their children and wards’ behaviors.
“Charity begins at home. But this should not end there. Parents should help police to tackle cultism in their respective localities. They should endeavor to report to the nearest police station around them if they suspect movements of their children; this will help the police to nip cultism in the bud”, she advised.
The cult suspects have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigative Department (SCID), Panti, for prosecution.