Traditional ruler of Ipakodo, three others arrested
Chiemelie Ezeobi
As fallout of the resurgence of the deadly acts by the Badoo gang, a notorious ritual sect, terrorising the Ikorodu area of Lagos State and its environs, the state police command yesterday went all out to stop the menace by unearthing their shrine.
After a long lull in their nefarious activities, the ritualist gang had struck again last Sunday at the Ikorodu area of the state and killed four out of an entire family of five.
The deceased persons identified as the patriarch of the family, his wife and two children, were murdered right in their residence at no 4, Ile Baba Shade Mosque, Oke Otta, Ajose in Ibeshe, Ikorodu.
It was gathered that two of the three children, who were minors, were raped before their brains were smashed by the suspects.
Although one member of the family simply identified as Feyin survived the attack and was being treated at an undisclosed hospital, it was gathered that she was in critical condition.
When the neighbours discovered what happened, it drew their ire and they stormed the palace of the monarch to protest.
The palace was forced to invite the police to evacuate the corpses because the youths in the community were already spoiling for war.
Based on the clamour by the residents for the police to live up to their responsibilities, the command deployed its undercover agents to get intelligence report.
Acting on a tip off, the policemen stormed the shrine located at the outskirts of Ikorodu town, and while there, the head of the shrine was forced to take them around.
The owner of the shrine, one Alhaji Alaka Abayomi, was said to have led the police team through all the rooms in the building which was dedicated as a shrine.
Led by the state Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, DCP Edgal Imohimi, with backing from the Inspector General of Police Special Tactical Squad (STS), the policemen drove miles away from Ikorodu to get to the shrine.
Driving across rough and untarred road, which was cut through a bush path, the sources led the policemen right through to the den of the ritualists.
Located on a large expanse of land surrounded by thick foliage, it was gathered from police sources that five graves were found in the compound.
On viewing the building from outside, one wouldn’t have inkling to the devilish acts going on beyond the walls, as the house seemed obnoxious enough.
But unknown to majority of people, the unpainted bungalow was indeed a house of horror and terror where ritualists meet to sacrifice the blood of their victims to their gods.
To access the house, it was quite easy as there was no door rather, a bulk of dried leaves turned to thatch were hung on the door.
A quick glance into the different rooms in the building showed the depth of depravity the ritualists had sunk into as big-horned figurines and ash-colour molded images were stacked in practically all the rooms.
In the unpainted building were also baskets, broken eggs and left over sacrifices as well as metal gongs, which was probably used to praise-sing the numerous deities placed in the rooms.
In another room held the major deity, which unlike others, was clothed in red and white cloth and was propped on a seat.
Confirming the incident, the state police command spokesman, Olarinde Famous-Cole, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), promised more details later.
Already, the police have arrested the Baale of Ipakodo, Alhaji Tijani Awoyemi, for allowing his domain to be used as a den for ritual shrines despite the gruesome deaths caused by the ritualists.
Also arrested were Alhaji Alaka Abayomi, who owns and operates the shrine and two other suspects, Junior Christian and Owoyemi Bamidele.
It was gathered that about five graves were seen inside the compound with one still showing signs of being freshly dug.
According to the police, “We have arrested the owner of the shrines in the thick forest of Agboowa, Ikorodu. We have also arrested three others, including the operator of the shrines. They are the major suspects in last Sunday’s incident.
“The Obas in Ikorodu area should know that their exalted offices have privileges and responsibilities. They have subjects within their domain.
“They should compel their subjects to know about new people moving into their area. The activities of Badoo gang is an internal crime. No one would come from outside to wreak havoc in Ikorodu because the area has been cordoned off by the police.
“The traditional rulers would sit down and watch people being killed in their domain and won’t say anything. They should discourage their subjects from building inside the bush and living there.â€
The police operatives also accused the Oba of Imota of opposing the plan by the police to engage local vigilante in the area that would be the eyes and ears of the police especially in the interior parts.
This is just as the state Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, reiterated his earlier warning to Lagos residents against living in isolated and unsafe areas where they might be vulnerable to attacks by hoodlums and cultists.
He said the warning was necessary in view of hoodlums who might take advantage of such isolated areas to attack innocent people, like what happened last Sunday.
