The Lagos State Police Command says it has arrested four suspected members of the Aiye Confraternity and recovered a locally made pistol and live ammunition during an operation in Mushin.
The arrests followed what police described as intelligence on cult activity in the area.
The command said its Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) first arrested Irawo Moshod, whom it identified as a former chairman of the group.
According to the police, Mr Moshod made disclosures during questioning which led officers to Idi-Oro in Mushin, where they recovered a locally made Beretta pistol and one 9mm live round.
Police said Mr Moshod also allegedly admitted involvement in several killings in Mushin and other parts of Lagos.
Three more suspects arrested
The command said three other suspects were subsequently arrested at Aganran by Ojuwoye.
They were identified as Abayomi James, 29; Farouq Bankole, 28; and Steven Sunday, 19.
Police said the three admitted belonging to the Aiye Confraternity and told investigators that the recovered firearm had been obtained from a man identified as Rilwan, whom they described as a senior member of the group.
The four suspects remain in police custody and are assisting with investigations, according to the command.
Police said efforts were continuing to arrest other suspected members.
Why the arrests matter
The operation comes against a backdrop of persistent cult-related violence in Lagos, with Mushin among areas that have previously recorded clashes involving rival groups.
In February 2025, at least five suspected cult members were reported killed during violence in Mushin involving the Aiye and Eiye groups.
The Lagos police command said at the time that it had arrested 50 suspected cultists in connection with its wider response to cult-related violence.
The problem is not limited to Mushin.
A January 2026 security assessment by the European Union Agency for Asylum, citing conflict-monitoring data, said cult-related violence had been reported across several Lagos local government areas, including Mushin, Ojo, Ajeromi-Ifelodun, Amuwo-Odofin, Lagos Mainland and Ikorodu.
The report also identified the Aiye and Eiye confraternities among the groups associated with deadly cult-related violence in Lagos.
From student groups to street gangs
Nigeria's confraternity problem has changed significantly from its origins in university communities.
Security research indicates that groups that began as student-based organisations have expanded beyond campuses and, in some cases, become involved in organised criminal activities and violent territorial disputes.
Research on violence in Nigeria has also identified Lagos as one of the states with a significant burden of cult-related killings, with clashes between Aiye and Eiye groups repeatedly linked to struggles for territorial control.
That history means the recovery of a firearm in Mushin is significant beyond the four arrests.
Access to weapons can increase the potential for disputes between rival groups to become deadly.
Police intensify anti-cult operations
The Lagos police command has previously expanded its anti-cultism operations.
In July 2025, the command announced the deployment of Anti-Cultism Squads across its area commands, with responsibilities including surveillance, responding to distress calls and arresting suspected cult members.
The move came shortly after police conducted a wider crackdown ahead of the annual 7/7 cult-related gatherings, with raids reported in areas including Mushin, Ikorodu, Bariga and Iyana-Iba.
The latest operation suggests that intelligence-led arrests remain part of the command's strategy.
What happens next?
The police say the four suspects will remain in custody while investigations continue, including efforts to identify and arrest other alleged members of the group.
The command has also urged residents to report suspicious activity through its emergency lines.
