SUBAIR MOHAMMED writes on the cult crisis in which Lagos is engulfed and what is being done to tame it.
Amid renewed efforts by the Lagos State government to stamp out cultism, a commercial nerve centre of the state is reportedly engulfed in cult killings.
In 10 months, about 30 youths in the Oshodi axis of the state have been allegedly mowed down in senseless cult wars, defying the threat of 21 years jail term prescribed by the new anti-cultism law of the state.
Leaders, elders and youths of the communities in the area have now come out to say “enough is enough” as commercial activities are being badly affected by the growing menace despite government’s pronounced war against illicit drugs and cultism among youths in the state.
Saturday Tribune was told that gang wars and unwholesome fraternity among youths have assumed an alarming trend across communities in the state as cases of cult-related killings and violent clashes are on the rise.
Cases of cult-related conflicts and illicit drug dealings, according to police records, are prevalent in areas like Ipaja, Ajegunle, Somolu, Bariga, Orile, Ebute-Meta and, of recent, Oshodi-Isolo.
In Oshodi-Isolo, within a space of 10 months, between January and October 2023, many youths have been reported killed in clashes between different cult groups, particularly Aiye and Eiye, in the community.
However, the chairman of Oshodi-Isolo LCDA, Chief Kehinde Almaroof Oloyede, has expressed his administration’s readiness to set up a local vigilance group to assist the security agencies in curbing the menace of cultism and cult clashes within the local government.
He said: “Creating a vigilance group would be in addition to other security measures put in place by the local government. The vigilance group will be registered and will be well equipped with vehicles and other security gadgets to aid their operations and make the local government safer.”
Residents, traders recount ordeals
Expressing concern over the killing spree, one of the elders in Oshodi community, Pa Nofiu, disclosed that cultism has not only crippled economic activities, it has also eaten deep into the moral fabric of the youths in the community.
Cultism, according to him, has thrown the entire community into panic while businesses operate at low ebb with many business owners running into losses.
He said: “We are worried by the increasing spate of violence and killings among the youths. Businesses owners now operate in fear of attack.
“They scamper to safety, leaving their wares to the mercy of the cultists whenever they launch their attacks. This has brought about sleeplessness to many us, especially in Mafoluku, which is the one of the most affected community.
“As elders, we met and held a strategic meeting and with the approval of a son of Oshodi land, Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya, we decided to bring together youths with the aim of sensitising them on the dangers of cultism and how it kills dreams and businesses.
“We made them understand the need for peaceful existence in Oshodi Isolo. We have come to realise that those that are behind the violence are outsiders. They are non-natives of Oshodi land. When they fight outside, they come into Oshodi to continue their senseless fight but now we are bent on stopping them.”
A trader, Mrs Badmus, narrated how frequent cult clashes led her to shut down her frozen foods business in Mafoluku.
“The frequent gunshots are killing and for me not to develop hypertension, I had to close down my shop because traders in the axis cannot operate with ease.
“If they start towards the evening, it is certain that in the morning, the street will be deserted and no customer will be willing to take the risk of coming out to buy groceries or frozen foods. We run at losses,” she lamented.
‘Enough is enough’
In Lagos, cultists risk a minimum of 21 years in jail if caught and prosecuted, but allegations are rife that the police grant bail to suspected cultists and help them to walk away most of the time.
The state’s anti-cultism law, according to authorities, was designed to curb the menace and associated criminalities in the state.
A leader of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Ahmed Jisoro, told Saturday Tribune that majorly, rival cult clashes recorded in Oshodi-Isolo LCDA are supremacy battles, disclosing that in the course of trying to dislodge each other from preeminence, more than 30 youths may have been killed with scores injured just as businesses are recording huge losses.
He said: “Cultists are fast turning Mafoluku into an abattoir. Over 30 youths have been killed in the last 10 months. Oshodi was a once peaceful and united community and this peaceful community is gradually turning into a cultists’ den.
“Cultists are fast turning our community into a battlefield. As a prominent son of Oshodi and a major stakeholder, Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya is so disturbed by the development that he invited us to a peace meeting and instructed us to hold this rally to sensitise the youths on the dangers of cultism and the consequences of their inhuman acts. Henceforth, any youth caught engaging in cultism will be prosecuted.
“We don’t want police releasing cultists on bail. Cultists should be prosecuted and sentenced to jail. I am one of the coordinators of OPC, we frown at cultism and this rally is intended to serve as a warning to cultists to stop cultism. Oshodi is a peaceful community. Therefore, any cultist caught henceforth will be made to face the music.
“We are worried by the spate of cultism among our youths which was why our youths, under the umbrella body of Mafoluku Youths, organised a peaceful rally to end cultism and violent clashes.
“The rally was to sensitise our youths and by extension residents in Oshodi-Isolo on the dangers of cultism and violence and its disastrous effect on the community.”
An unusual peacemaker
The state chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya, who was represented at the rally by one of the elders in Mafoluku community, Alhaji Nurudeen Adedunmoye, commended the youths for putting their energy to positive use to end cultism and violence among youths in Mafoluku and Oshodi-Isolo.
He emphasised the need to end cultism and other forms of insecurity in Oshodi Isolo, saying that businesses thrive only in an atmosphere of peace and harmony.
“Life is sacred and should be protected. Cultism is evil and destructive and must be eradicated in Oshodi-Isolo,” he said.
He added: “The clashes between different confraternities are affecting us. They are affecting businesses and residents in Oshodi community. We can’t sleep with both eyes closed. Whenever they start with the fights, we scamper to safety and traders start closing shops and everywhere will be deserted.
“Before it gets out of hand, we sought the counsel of elders and stakeholders within the community and that was what brought about the peaceful rally to end cultism.”
Another resident, Wale Daroso, said: “Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya and the council chairman, Chief Almaroof Oloyede, have told us to stop cultism and killing of any kind among the youths. We don’t want cultism and any form of violence in Mafoluku Oshodi.
“No more spilling of blood and wasting of sacred and precious lives. We are one in Mafoluku and henceforth, anyone that is caught indulging in cultism and other social vices will face the wrath of the law.”
Olalekan Olojo criticised the police for not prosecuting cultists that were arrested. He said: “The entire Mafoluku community has been held by the jugular by cultists, and we are there watching helplessly. Our leaders are disturbed by this trend.
“The police are not helping. Whenever they arrest suspected cultists, instead of prosecuting them, they release them and they return to the community to continue their dangerous activities.”
Kolawole Dada said: “I am a true son of Oshodi. Between January and October, almost 30 youths have been killed by cultists. This has been happening and we fold our arms helplessly. The spate of cultism is attaining an alarming height as cultists now operate freely, killing and maiming their victims. We felt this must stop. We have the approval of Alhaji Akinsanya and Chief Oloyede to arrest any cultist and hand him over to the police for trial.”
Mass arrest
The image maker of the state police command, Benjamin Hundeyin, spoke to Saturday Tribune on clashes between cult members. He said the command had already declared war on cultism in the state.
According to Hundeyin, the command has, in the last few months, arrested hundreds of suspected cultists in different parts of the state.
He said: “You know that we have already declared war on cultism. We have been arresting them during our operations. Already, we have special squads that are handling cultism and other related issues.
“Hundreds of cult members have been arrested in the last few months. Some of them have not been taken to court because of the rejection from the prison service. But that has not stopped us from arresting cultists and other criminals in different parts of the state.”
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