Tension as Lagos cultists kill four, dump bodies in septic tank
Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command have arrested three suspected cult members for allegedly killing and depositing the bodies of two bureau de change operators and two rival cult members in a septic tank in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State.
The suspects were identified as Oluwatosin Olanrewaju, Mayowa Olawunmi and Babatunde Idris.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Bala Elkana, said the suspects had approached the two bureau de change operators, Yakubu Musa and Hassan Umaru, saying they had $10,000 to sell to the victims.
He explained that while requesting that the transaction be done in a bank, the suspects lured the men to an unknown destination and held them captive.
The police spokesman stated that the abductors refused to release the victims even after their relatives paid N1.6m as ransom, adding that detectives detailed to investigate the case rescued the victims and apprehended the suspects.
Elkana said, “On Thursday, March 14, 2019, around 5.30pm, the Lagos State Police Command received a complaint from the Ikorodu area that some unidentified persons approached one Alhaji Yakubu Musa and one Alhaji Hassan Umaru, both operators of bureau de change at the Benson area, Ikorodu, and informed them that they had a relation who returned from overseas and needed to sell $10,000.
“They initially requested that payment be made in a bank at Ikorodu. But on getting to the bank, the suspects moved the operators to an unknown destination and started demanding ransom from their friends and relatives.
“Despite the payment of N1.6m as ransom, the abductors refused to release the victims and nothing more was heard from them. The victims’ phones were also switched off.
“The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, Zubairu Mu’azu, detailed the Commander, Special Anti-Robbery Squad, to carry out investigation into the matter with a view to rescuing the victims and apprehending the suspects. The operatives, led by SP Godfrey Soriwei, arrested the three suspects, Oluwatosin Olanrewaju, Mayowa Olawuni and Babatunde Idris.”
The PPRO said the suspects, who confessed to the crime during interrogation, stated that after killing the bureau de change operators, they dumped their corpses in a septic tank.
Elkana said the suspects confessed that two other bodies in the septic tank were those of two rival cult members they had earlier killed.
“The suspects led operatives to their den at Ikorodu where they dumped the corpses in a septic tank. Two locally-made single-barrelled guns with five live cartridges; one locally-made gun with three ammunition; one locally-made revolver pistol with three live ammunition; one cutlass, one axe and some charms, were recovered from them. Investigation revealed that the suspects had at various times used the abandoned company as their den, where all their targets were killed and dumped in the sceptic tank.
“As part of the investigation, four decomposed bodies were recovered from the septic tank for autopsy. The suspects confessed to have killed two rival cult members and dumped them in the septic tank before killing the two bureau de change operators. They are currently assisting the police with information for the arrest of other fleeing members of the gang. Investigation is ongoing; the suspects will be charged to court as soon as investigation is completed,” he added. Punch
