Crime
Panic as cult clash claims life in Lagos
There was palpable tension in the Omi-Ata area of Meiran, Lagos State, after some suspected cultists attacked and killed a rival member identified simply as Rahman.
PUNCH Metro learnt on Thursday from a resident who pleaded anonymity because of the nature of the incident that the clash happened on Monday when the armed men stormed the area and trailed the victim to his family’s house located in the area.
The resident noted that Rahman, upon sighting the armed men, escaped from the house and ran into another house in the area, but the attackers trailed him to the hideout and hacked him to death.
The resident said, “Rahman was an Aye member. He was killed by some Eiye guys. They trailed him to his family’s house, and I think he saw them and escaped from the house, but the attackers pursued him to another house that he ran to, where they captured him.
“He was hacked to death, and they also injured some people in the house. There was panic after the incident as some residents scampered for safety.”
Also sharing insight into the incident, an anti-cultism advocacy page, NaijaConfra, disclosed that Rahman’s death followed an earlier killing of his friend in the same area.
“A cultist named Rahman was killed on Monday night at Agbelekale, near Meiran, in the Abule Egba area of Lagos. The names of Eiye and Aye have been mentioned in the case.
“Sources say Rahman’s friend, Chidi, was earlier killed in the same area. After Chidi’s death, Rahman ran away but recently returned. He was killed on Monday night at Oyetoro Street, Omi Ata bus stop,” the page wrote.
The spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, Benjamin Hundeyin, had yet to respond to an enquiry sent to his line as at the time of filling this report.
PUNCH Metro reported a similar incident on Wednesday that a 26-year-old artisan, identified simply as Timehin, was killed during cult initiation rites in the Awoyaya area of Eti-Osa Local Government Area of the state.
Our correspondent had gathered that Timehin had been taken into a nearby bush late in the evening to be initiated as a recruit into the cult group before some suspected members of a rival cult group ambushed the initiation ground.
However, shortly after the rites began, some assailants believed to be members of a rival cult stormed the scene, shot sporadically and killed Timilehin in the process.
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The Niger State Police Command has arrested a 10-man syndicate in Minna suspected of specialising in the international trafficking of unsuspecting victims, along with 36 undocumented youths of different nationalities.
According to the command’s spokesman, SP Wasiu Abiodun, the syndicate operated under false pretences as travel agents, engaging in the extortion of their victims.
Abiodun revealed that the suspects were arrested on July 18, 2025, at about 12:30 pm, following credible intelligence received about their activities along 123 Quarters, Minna.
Those arrested include Sokou Doumbia, Thiarno Balbe, Hashimu Dauda Kolo, Usman Doumbia, Musa Konate, Lamine Watara, Acine Diouf, Adamu Zarbu, Alhassan Konde and Dango Aminatu.
They were discovered to be nationals of various neighbouring West African countries and primarily spoke French, except for their Nigerian collaborator, Hashimu, who provided accommodation for the syndicate in Minna.
The operation led to the rescue of 36 undocumented youths from countries such as Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea.
He disclosed that, during interrogation, they claimed to have come to Nigeria for an online business.
All the suspects and victims have been transferred to Interpol for further investigation and other necessary actions.
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The only female among the suspects said her only connection to the illegal miners was her proficiency in speaking Mandarin, a widely spoken language in China.
At least seven Chinese and four Nigerians have been arrested for alleged illegal mining of ilmenite in Akwa Ibom state.
The suspects were arrested by men of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Dele Oyewale, EFCC Head, Media and Publicity, said Monday, July 28, that Operatives of the Uyo Zonal Directorate of the anti-graft agency apprehended the suspects on Thursday last week, July 24, at Emem-Asuk, Eastern Obolo Local Government Area (LGA) of the State.
Oyewale said, “The Chinese suspects are Yang Chaobao, 32, Zhong Dun Yi , 33, Cheng Jiang , 35, Zhong Dun Long , 37, Pan Peiming , 33, Lai Yiping, 37 and Zhu Lekun, 35.
“Their Nigerian accomplices are: David Israel, 18, Jonah Bartholomew Jim , 24, Samuel Samuel Timothy, 20, and a female translator named Comfort Gabriel Ajaga , 23.
“They are operating in the Eastern Obolo area, where they were arrested whilst setting up mining equipment at a second location. They were already engaged in the illegal activities at their first location, mining ilmenite, locally called black sand.”
The only female among the suspects said her only connection to the illegal miners was her proficiency in speaking Mandarin, a widely spoken language in China.
“I am a student studying Chinese language at a Learning Centre in Anambra State and I only work with them as a translator,” she said.
“The suspects will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigation,” Oyewale disclosed.
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The suspect allegedly sold one of the stolen televisions for N40,000.
A 22-year-old carpenter, Auwal Mohammed has been arrested for stealing.
Men of the Bauchi State Police Command arrested Mohammed for allegedly stealing four brand new plasma televisions from his client’s house.
The spokesperson of the command, CSP Ahmed Mohammed Wakil, who disclosed this in a statement on Monday, July 28, 2025 said the suspect allegedly sold one of the stolen televisions for N40,000.
“On July 26, 2025, at about 16:00 hours, the Bauchi State Police Command apprehended Auwal Mohammed, a 22-year-old carpenter residing in the Sabon Railway area of Bauchi metropolis, in connection with the theft of four 43-inch plasma televisions,” the statement read.
“Auwal Mohammed, who was working as a carpenter at the residence of an unidentified individual, allegedly discovered the new televisions in one of the rooms of the premises.
“It is reported that he subsequently relocated the televisions to a concealed area within the house, where they remained for around two weeks. Following this period, he is said to have taken the televisions to the residence of a neighbor for safekeeping and received a sum of N50,000 as credit.
“Further investigation has indicated that the suspect later sold one of the stolen 43-inch televisions to an individual known to deal in stolen goods for N40,000. Efforts are currently being made to apprehend his accomplice and recover the stolen property.
“The investigation is ongoing, and upon its conclusion, Auwal Mohammed will be formally profiled and charged to court of law.”
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