Lagos police say they have arrested four men suspected of belonging to a criminal gang linked to recent armed robberies, killings and cult-related activity around Ajah and neighbouring communities.
The suspects were arrested during a follow-up investigation into a robbery case, according to the Lagos State Police Command.
Police said they recovered three locally made pistols, one live round of ammunition, two battle axes and a point-of-sale (POS) machine during the operation.
The command identified the suspects as Kareem Abiodun, 26; Tansiru Emmanuel, 29; Lateef Usman, 28; and Alashe Azeez, 32.
What police say
According to the command, preliminary investigations linked the suspects to robbery incidents in Ajah, Sangotedo and Ibeju-Lekki.
Police also said the suspects made statements admitting involvement in armed robbery, murder and cultism.
The police said the four men remain in custody and are assisting with investigations.
Officers are also trying to arrest other alleged members of the gang and recover additional exhibits.
The command said the suspects would be charged to court after the investigation is completed.
The Commissioner of Police, Tijani Fatai, praised the officers involved and directed them to continue efforts to identify and arrest other members of the alleged gang.
He warned that the police would continue to use intelligence-led operations against cultists, armed robbers and other violent criminals.
Why Ajah matters
The arrests come against the backdrop of repeated reports of cult-related violence in parts of Lagos, including the Ajah and Ibeju-Lekki axis.
In June, the police said they were investigating two deaths allegedly linked to cult violence in Sangotedo, Ajah and Ikotun.
At the time, the command said no suspect had been arrested in connection with those incidents.
In September 2025, suspected cult clashes in Ibeju-Lekki reportedly left two people dead, shortly after three people were killed during an incident in the same wider area that police attributed to cult violence.
There were also reports of further cult-related violence in Badore and Olokonla, both in the Ajah area, in February 2026.
The pattern means the latest arrests are significant for residents and businesses in the fast-growing Lekki-Ajah corridor, but four arrests alone do not establish that the wider security problem has been contained.
Part of a wider police crackdown
The Lagos Command has stepped up operations against cult groups and other violent criminals this year.
In July, police said they arrested 135 suspected cultists and recovered 26 firearms during coordinated raids on criminal hideouts and suspected black spots across Lagos ahead of the annual 7/7 cult-related activities.
That figure is considerably higher than the four suspects announced in the latest operation.
The Nigeria Police Force has also made intelligence-led and community-based policing central to its current strategy.
In June, Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu directed senior officers to strengthen intelligence gathering and community policing.
He also called for regular engagement with traditional rulers, religious leaders, youth groups, market associations and other community stakeholders.
The Force has separately said accurate crime and suspect data should help investigators identify repeat offenders, connect crimes and improve crime prevention.
The police have promoted community policing in Nigeria for more than two decades, with the Nigeria Police Force saying the approach is intended to build partnerships between officers and communities and improve local crime prevention.
What happens next?
The immediate test will be whether investigators can establish evidence linking the suspects to specific robberies and killings and identify other members of the alleged network.
The recovered weapons and other exhibits could form part of the evidence presented in court, subject to forensic examination and other investigative procedures.
For residents, the arrests may offer some reassurance, but the larger issue remains whether police operations can disrupt the networks behind recurring cult violence rather than only arrest individuals after incidents occur.
The police have urged residents to report suspicious activity and said they can contact the Lagos Command on 07061019374, 08065154338, 08063299264, 08039344870, 08080193432 (Marine), and 09168630929.
The next significant development will be the outcome of the investigation and whether the suspects are formally charged.
