The leader of a cult group who was arrested at the weekend by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of the Lagos State Police Command in Jakande Estate, Ajah area, Lagos suburb, has boasted that no amount of bullets can penetrate his body.
The suspect, Andrew Awalebi, 35, who belonged to the Eiye Confraternity, was arrested on Friday morning at a beer parlour with three other suspected cult members around 8 a.m.
Two other members of the group, Adegoke Adeleke (30), Kehinde Adebogun (31), were also picked up early Saturday morning at an hotel in Ikorodu.
Awalebi, from Ilaje Local Government, Ondo State was given out by Michael Thompson of the same Eiye Confraternity as a cult leader. Thompson was arrested a night before for robbery at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.
Awalebi, who disclosed that he worked with a popular land owner in Lekki, stated that he earns N40, 000 monthly from the property dealer for helping to protect his landed property in the axis.
He told investigator that the bullet protection charm was specially prepared for him by a herbalist in Ijebu-Isiwo, Ogun State, to save him from being killed by land grabbers in Lekki.
He added, “I was initiated into Eiye Confraternity in 1996 by Banji Omisore and later in 1997 I was promoted to the position of a leader after the death of Omisore.
“We are eight-member cult group. We meet very early in the morning or late at night. I was arrested by Special Anti – Robbery Squad sometime ago when my cult group caused mayhem in Jakande Estate, inflicting injuries on passersby in the area.”
Arrested alongside Awalebi were Michael Thompson (24), Adegoke Adeleke (30), Kehinde Adebogun (31), Koffi Kwame (17), Daniel Olayiwola (36) and Tosin Issac, 26. They all confessed to be members of Eiye Confraternity.
While confirming the arrest, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Lagos Police Command, Superintendent of Police, Dolapo Badmus, warned parents and guardians to be wary of their children and wards’ behaviours.
“Charity begins at home. But this should end there. Parents should help police to tackle cultism in their respective localities. They should endeavour to report to the nearest police station around them if they suspect movements of their children, this will help the Police to nip cultism to the bud,” she advised.
The cult suspects have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigative Department (SCID), Panti, for prosecution.