The Lagos State Police Command has arrested 118 suspects and recovered firearms, telecommunications power batteries, suspected drugs and other dangerous items in a series of intelligence-led operations across the state within two weeks.

Commissioner of Police, Tijani Olayiwola Fatai, disclosed this during a routine operational briefing on Tuesday, saying the arrests were linked to offences including armed robbery, kidnapping, murder, cultism, vandalism, street violence and unlawful possession of firearms.

Recovered exhibits include 11 locally fabricated Beretta pistols, one English Beretta pistol, one cut-to-size pistol, two dane guns, nine telecom power batteries belonging to Globacom, four cutlasses, a knife, 21 bags of substances suspected to be Indian hemp, assorted charms and other incriminating items.

CP Tijani said the achievements showed the command’s resolve to sustain security through proactive policing, intelligence gathering and strategic deployments across Lagos.

Noting that cultism and cult-related violence constituted a bulk of the crime incidents, the police boss admonished parents, landlords and politically exposed persons to stop shielding or encouraging such vices among the youths.

CP Tijani also confirmed the murder of a 65-year-old transport company’s manager in Ajah on Sunday, assuring that the investigation was ongoing to unravel the culprit and motive.

Among the major breakthroughs was the arrest of two suspected kidnappers linked to the abduction and murder of a 17-year-old Jambite, Thomson Omokhafe Adams, in Ikorodu on April 22.

The suspects, Elijah Emmanuel, 23, and Tony Ekwane Oghanetega, 21, were also alleged to have earlier kidnapped and murdered a female victim last November, after collecting a ransom of N300,000.

Operatives also arrested three members of a telecom infrastructure vandalism syndicate following intelligence from Globacom Nigeria about the theft of more than 650 power assets between 2025 and 2026.

The suspects, Orji Emeka, Obiagwu Kingsley and Oluwatosin Sani, were apprehended in Ikeja, Alausa and Ikorodu, with nine stolen power batteries recovered.

In a coordinated raid on criminal hideouts in Ilasan, Lekki and Maroko, police arrested 58 suspects linked to traffic robbery, phone snatching and harassment of residents along the Lekki corridor. Investigations, he said, were ongoing ahead of their prosecution.

Eight suspected cultists were also arrested during an early morning operation in Iwaya, while 20 others linked to violent cult clashes and armed robbery on Lagos Island were apprehended over attacks recorded on April 10.

Detectives further arrested Promise Israel, Bright Aniedi, Fabulous John, Meshack Obili and Owolabi Idris, over the murder of Emmanuel Obioson in Ilasan. CP Tijani said the suspects belonged to the Aiye Con-fraternity, while the deceased was a member of the rival Eiye group. Two other suspects remain at large.

On Anthony Bridge, operatives arrested a 19-year-old suspect, Umar Muhammad Abubakar Sodiq, while attempting to rob a commuter. The CP said two locally fabricated Beretta pistols were subsequently recovered during follow-up investigations.

Similarly, Emmanuel Ogbu, 38, and Obumneke Iromaka, 40, were arrested in Ajao Estate over alleged cult activities. Ogbu reportedly confessed to returning to cultism after serving a previous jail term for a related offence in 2018.

In Festac, six suspects, including Bashiru Ajibase, Covenant Edet, Jireh Essker, Akingboju Opeyemi and Dennis Omoniyi, were arrested during a crackdown on cult-related violence at a hotel in the area. Omoniyi allegedly admitted belonging to a cult group operating within Festac and adjoining communities.

Police also arrested two suspected gun runners, Mustapha Mohammed and Sanusi Musa, during an attempt to sell a Beretta pistol. The suspects identified one Umaru Naeem, said to be based in Kaduna State, as the firearm’s owner. Efforts are ongoing to apprehend him.

In a separate operation at Ayetoro Bus Stop, officers arrested a 25-year-old suspect, Destiny Garuba, for allegedly robbing a female victim of her belongings. His accomplices remain at large.

Fatai said the command also recovered additional illegal firearms and exhibits during mop-up operations across several formations in the state as part of efforts to dismantle criminal networks and strengthen public safety.

He assured residents that the police would sustain intelligence-driven operations to ensure criminals have no safe haven in Lagos, urging the public to continue providing timely information to support crime prevention efforts. All suspects, he added, would be charged in court after investigations.

(The Nation)

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