Police Rapid Response Squad (RRS) in Lagos has arrested 22 teenagers, among them four females, for alleged robbery, stealing, and cult activities.
They were arrested in Agege and its environs last week.
The first gang comprises eight members. Their two leaders, Babatunde (aged 15) and Tayo (15), were arrested on Thursday, July 21 at about 11.30pm in Mulero, Agege for allegedly assaulting and robbing one Aladegbo Abidemi with an axe, and snatching her Blackberry Z10.
Police said the two suspects disclosed the names of the other members of the gang who were later arrested – Matthew (18), Sakiru (16), Ganiyu (13), Reliwan (15), Ibrahim (15), and Kudus (15).
Abidemi (26) recounted to the police: “I was coming from work. I decided to pass through Mulero to link the closest bus stop around 10pm.
“I sensed my phone ringing and I picked it. Just a few seconds while on the call, I noticed some young boys about 12 swarming like bees towards me.
“I ran but I fell down. They rough handled me, threatened me with an axe, and took my phone. They retreated and abandoned me inside the gutter.
“A couple of minutes after standing up, I saw RRS patrol vehicle. I reported the incident and showed them the direction the boys went. They gave them a hot chase, and arrested them with my phone.”
The second gang comprised 10 males and four females.
RRS personnel picked them up at Abattoir on Monday, July 18 at about 2.35am, after three of them had earlier been arrested in Computer Village, Ikeja for stealing mobile phones.
Three of them – Sulaimon (13), Godwin (19), and Sunkanmi (15) – allegedly entered a phone stall and pretended they wanted to buy a phone. They walked out after inspecting the phone only for the stall owner to realise that two phones were missing.
The boys were caught while going away.
During interrogation at RRS headquarters, they owned up to being members of the cult group called Eiye Confraternity.
Other gang members arrested include Taiwo (17), Rotimi (17), Lateef (19), Tunde (17), Bolawatife (15), Kayode (15), and Olamide (15).
The female members of the gang are Olamide (19), Agnes (14), Ayo (15), and Ope (16).
All the suspects have been transferred to the State Police Command, Ikeja for further investigation.
Police Public Relations Officer, Dolapo Badmos, confirmed the arrests.
She said Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, summoned the parents of the children and ordered that the teenagers be sent for rehabilitation without delay.
Badmos reiterated that the arrest of the suspects is an eye-opener to the challenges of crime fighting and breakdown of family values.