Chairman of the Neo Black Movement (NBM), popularly known as the Aiye Confraternity in the Ajangbadi area of Lagos State, Emmanuel Nwokolo, has claimed that he participated in the killing of only four members of rival cult groups, despite his gang being linked to the deaths of more than 10 people across Ajangbadi, Shibiri, Ishashi and Ilogbo communities in Ojo Local Government of the state.

The Aiye cult group has also been linked to several violent crimes in Ajangbadi, Shibiri and other communities within the local government area.

Nwokolo and three other suspected members of the gang — Ayoola Israel, Ebuka Nnamdi and Chinedu Okafor — were arrested by operatives of the Lagos State Police Command Tactical Squad in Ajangbadi on the orders of the state Commissioner of Police (CP), Fatai Tijani, following incessant cult clashes in the area.

The police said they are also trailing other leaders and members of the group, including David, Emma, Paragon, Fela, Santa and AB, also known as Awilo.

A police source at the Ijanikin Tactical Squad who pleaded anonymity, said: “Before now, there had been an increase in cult-related killings around Ajangbadi, Shibiri and Ilogbo in Ojo Local Government Area. The Commissioner of Police, Fatai Tijani, directed our O/C to go after the perpetrators and put a halt to the violence.

“The unit swung into action by analysing data generated from the scenes of the killings as well as the pattern of attacks. Through intelligence gathering, we tracked one of the gang leaders, Emmanuel Nwokolo, to a hotel in the area, where he was arrested alongside another gang member, Ayoola Israel.”

Police said the arrest of the two suspects led to the arrest of two others — Ebuka Nnamdi and Chinedu Okafor — who allegedly acted as armourers for the gang whenever Ayoola Israel was unavailable to safeguard the weapons.

Investigators reportedly recovered arms and ammunition from Ayoola Israel and Ebuka Nnamdi, who allegedly buried them in a hole after learning of the arrests of Emmanuel and Ayoola.

Speaking to journalists, Emmanuel said: “It is true that I am a member of the Aiye cult group. My name is Emmanuel Nwokolo. I am into internet business. I was introduced to the Aiye Confraternity by one of my friends, Hurry, who is now late.

“I am into internet fraud, though not really fraud. I met Hurry during a visit to one of my friend’s places on Lagos Island about three years ago. We became close and maintained the relationship after I returned to my base. It was just casual friendship then; I was not a member of any cult group.

“After some time, he told me I should join the Aiye cult group because I was handsome. He told me that if I wanted to succeed and improve my life, I should join NBM (Aiye), but I have not seen any improvement since joining them.”

Reacting to allegations that his gang killed more than 10 people in Shibiri, Ajangbadi and Ilogbo, Emmanuel said:

“I only participated in the killing of four people. The four people I know were members of rival cult groups in our area.”

He further confessed: “The first person we killed was Soweto, a member of the Eiye Confraternity, who also had a gun. Emma, one of our members, told us he had sighted Soweto where he was sitting. He also said Soweto had once chased him with a gun. David said he was on a motorbike when he saw Soweto.”

“We lured him to a place after lying to him that we wanted to buy hard drugs because he was involved in that business. Four of us — Emma, Paragon, Santa and myself — carried out the operation. I was the one recording the killing.

“There was another person we killed because his group, Aro Berger, formed an alliance with the Eiye Confraternity to fight us. The Eiye Confraternity is our major rival in the area. It was Emma who pointed him out before we killed him.

“The third person was an Eiye member named Bisi, who was also involved in selling hard drugs. David identified him, and our leader, AB, aka Awilo, led us to where he was sighted and we killed him.

“Emma and David are the most active members of our group. They identified the people to be killed. I only followed them to kill four people. The only thing I did during those killings was record the process.

“Whenever my group killed any rival member, I couldn’t sleep in my house for days. The memories brought fear and restlessness. It affected me emotionally.”

Another gang member, Israel Ayoola, a fisherman, also admitted being a member of the group, claiming he only kept arms and ammunition for them.

He said: “I am 39 years old. I am a fisherman and not one of the leaders. I only helped in keeping the guns and bullets for the gang. Emma forced me to keep them. I did not follow them to any killing scene, but I know the group killed some Eiye members.”

He added: “I was initiated into the NBM with promises that I would have opportunities to relate with influential people. That was why I agreed to join. When police came to my house, they recovered 11 bullets and one revolver pistol.”

Ebuka, a 31-year-old warehouse worker at Alaba International Market, also admitted being a gang member but denied participating in killings.

“There was a day we were drinking in a hotel when David invited me to another place to continue drinking. I knew him from my street in Ilaje, Ajangbadi.

“We entered a car and travelled for almost an hour. I became worried and kept asking where we were going. Later, he told me they were taking me for initiation into the cult group. That happened in 2022. It was Israel who gave me guns to keep.

“I know my group has been killing people. I never followed them to any of the killings. There were clashes among different cult groups in Ajangbadi and each group was killing rival members.”

Twenty-one-year-old Chinedu Okafor, a trader at Alaba International Market, also admitted membership of the gang and claimed he was initiated in Owerri while caring for his sick mother.

Speaking on the arrests, Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Tijani, said police recovered two locally made pistols, one revolver pistol and 13 live cartridges from the suspects.

The police boss said operatives were still pursuing other gang members and reaffirmed the command’s commitment to ridding Lagos State of criminal elements.

CP Tijani also commended the Tactical Squad in Ijanikin for weakening cult activities around Shibiri, Ajangbadi and Ilogbo.

He said: “The arrest is one of the successes recorded in our battle against cultism and other violent crimes in the state. We are on the trail of other members of the gang.” (The Sun)