.Police arrest Aiye cult kingpin
Police detectives in Bariga have arrested one Adegboro Odunwole, 35, aka Gobe, the factional kingpin of Aiye confraternity group, allegedly behind some cult-related killings in the area, recently.
Erstwhile peaceful Bariga has been engulfed in cult war between Eiye and Aiye fraternities, activities that have claimed several lives in nine months, making residents go about with fear for their lives.
But the inhabitants, while commending the security agency for coming to their rescue, have called on the Inspector General of police, IG Mohammed Adamu, to intervene to ensure justice takes its due course.
Gobe was arrested on November 1 by Operation Crush Unit, Bariga divisional police for the alleged violent attacks and murder of three individuals.
On April 24, 2019, the suspect allegedly murdered one Odutayo Kassim at his residence, No 8 Igi Olugbe in Bariga.
Gobe, it is suspected, also led his cult gang to kill one Teslim Yesufu on July 6 this year at Majok filling station, also in Bariga.
Other recorded cult-related deaths are that of one Ahmed Karounwi of Eiye confraternity killed on September 11, among other deaths at Odo-Eran and Arobadade areas of Bariga.
Though the suspect is undergoing investigation before being charged to court, according to the police, residents fear justice may be truncated, hence the call for the IGP to wade in.
It was however gathered that there was immense pressure on the system to free the Aiye cult leader, who is believed to be a political thug to an House of Representative aspirant in Lagos.
It was learnt that after the suspect’s arrest in April, he was freed under two weeks; a fate likely to befall his current predicament given the political influence his godfather wields.
A leader of the community who spoke on anonymity said: “Peaceful Bariga till recently was a beehive of cult activities; it was news of one death or the other. We thank the police, they are working. We residents were afraid for our lives; and went about with fear in our hearts of who would be next,” the source said.
Another said that incisive action was the solution to ridding the area of cult activities.
“We the good people of Bariga are appealing; we need help, incisive action taken to serve as deterrent to others to not toe path of vices and criminality, as this is the sure way to secure and keep together the fabric of our society.
Let justice take its course,” the resident stated.
