Sagamu Cult Clashes: Ogun police arrest suspect found with four bodies in room
In the midst of the ongoing clashes between rival cult gangs in Sagamu, the Ogun State Police Command has achieved a significant breakthrough.
Bolaji Ogunkemaya, a member of one of the involved cults, was apprehended in a room where four lifeless bodies were discovered. These clashes have already claimed the lives of more than 20 individuals in recent days.
According to SP Omolola Odutola, the spokesperson for the Ogun Police Command, Ogunkemaya was one of seven suspects taken into custody in connection with the violent confrontations.
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These clashes erupted due to a dispute over the distribution of profits from a land transaction between members of the Aiye and Eiye gangs.
The room where Ogunkemaya was found with the four deceased individuals was reportedly the scene of their murders.
Furthermore, upon his arrest, Ogunkemaya disclosed that the leader of their cult gang, known as Azubuike but also referred to as BETTER, had been apprehended by the Sagamu Area Commander two weeks earlier.
The other suspects arrested were identified as Asaiye Omolaja, Azeez Nofiu, and Mathew Adewale. Regrettably, one member, Wasiu, managed to evade capture.
The successful apprehension of these suspects resulted from a raid conducted by the Ogun Police Command in Sagamu. ACP Shehu Alao, in cooperation with the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN), led the operation.
The raid followed clashes in the Ewu Iya and Sakura areas of the town on Sunday, which tragically claimed the lives of four individuals.
“This operation was initiated in response to reports of a clash between two rival cult groups, namely the Aiye and Eiye confraternity, resulting in the deaths of over twenty individuals as of the time of this report.
“Upon receiving this information, the Area Commander swiftly mobilized additional personnel to the scene to prevent further escalation and to apprehend the involved cultists.
“As a result, seven suspected cultists were arrested, and further investigations led to the recovery of a firearm, three live cartridges, and a criminal charm.
“The suspects apprehended were Asaiye Omolaja, Azeez Nofiu, Mathew Adewale, and Bolaji Ogunkemaya. It is important to note that Bolaji Ogunkemaya was discovered with the four deceased individuals in the same room where the killings occurred, while one individual, Wasiu, managed to escape before authorities arrived.
“During the raid, Bolaji Ogunkemaya provided crucial information, revealing that their leader, known as Azubuike, aka BETTER, had been arrested by the Area Commander a fortnight ago.
“This information underscores the police’s commitment to dismantling these criminal networks,” stated Odutola in the release.
He added that to address the alarming increase in cult-related violence, the Commissioner of Police, CP Alamutu Abiodun Mustapha, personally visited Sagamu on Monday morning to assess the situation firsthand and profile all the suspects apprehended.
“The CP, however, sternly warns all cultists in Ogun State that their activities will no longer be tolerated. He has declared a zero-tolerance policy towards senseless killings and vows that none of these cultists will go unpunished.
“With the restoration of normalcy in Sagamu and the diligent efforts of law enforcement agencies, it is evident that the authorities are committed to maintaining peace and security in Ogun State,” the Ogun Police spokesperson concluded.