Police arrest suspected cultist, human traffickers

Police. Photo Credit: Elliot Ovadje

Operatives of the Zone 2 Command Headquarters have arrested a suspected cult member and a syndicate involved in human trafficking, recovering arms, ammunition, and multiple voter cards in the process.

The spokesperson for the command, Ayuba Umma, in a statement obtained by PUNCH Metro on Tuesday, said the arrests were made following intelligence reports on criminal activities in Lagos and Ogun states.

According to Umma, the Zonal Dragon Squad II of the command led by DSP Akeem Adeyemi, while acting on the information, launched an operation against suspected members of the Eiye Confraternity who have been terrorising the Ijebu-Ife area in Ogun State.

She stated that the operation which was carried out on March 19 led to the arrest of a 54-year-old suspect, Orekoya Abayomi.

“On March 19, 2025, police operatives raided a hideout where the cult group was allegedly planning an attack. During the operation, 54-year-old Orekoya Abayomi was arrested, while other members escaped through a nearby bush. A subsequent search of his residence led to the recovery of one locally made single-barrel pistol, six live cartridges, 21 suspected fake voter cards bearing different names, one Emerald pump-action gun with breach number 1335,” the statement partly read.

In a separate operation on March 22, 2025, the Zonal Intelligence Response Squad, led by SP Francis Kpoughul, dismantled a human trafficking network operating in the Ipaja/Ayobo area of Lagos State.

According to the spokesperson, the team stormed a location in Command Meiran, leading to the arrest of two female suspects, Stella Edem and Susan Michael.

She stated that Edem reportedly confessed to being involved in trafficking young girls to Mauritania for sex work.

“She disclosed that she was introduced to the illicit trade by Rosemary Isaiah Otobong, who has already been convicted for similar crimes. Edem admitted that Anabel, her Mauritania-based contact, paid her ₦50,000 per girl she recruited, including her own 19-year-old daughter. Over time, she claimed to have earned more than ₦500,000 from the scheme.

“Her accomplice, Susan Michael, confessed to being initially misled into recruiting young girls for domestic work in Mauritania. However, after discovering that the victims were instead being used for sex work, she withdrew from the operation. She added that she had only sent one girl to Edem, who was rejected due to age and body size, which raised her suspicions about the true nature of the business,” the statement added.

The police confirmed that investigations are still ongoing and the suspects will be charged in court upon completion of the inquiry.