•We’re in critical part of investigation –CP

By Christopher Oji

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr Imohimi Edgal, has said the command is in the most critical part of investigation into the activities of the Badoo killer cult group in the state. He said the force had gathered information and profiling those behind the scene.

Edgal, who paraded six suspected members of the cult group including their chief priest, said: “We have made a huge breakthrough in our war on the killer cult group. We have made some arrests and the suspects have made some useful statement that led us to the discovery of the shrine and the administrator of oath taking. We have equally demolished the shrine. But right now, we are in the most critical part of the investigation. There are things we want to unravel. We want to know who were sending the group to smash the skull of human beings. We want to unmask those behind the scene and that is the most critical aspect of our investigation.

“I want to assure Nigerians that no matter highly placed any of those that will be mentioned are, we wont spare them. They will be arrested and prosecuted. One man, Alhaji Alaka Kamal has been mentioned and he is on the run. Through a court order, he has been declared wanted. We advise him to respectfully come to the police. The Nigeria police is one. He has cases to answer. If his hands are clean, let him come out from hiding and report to the nearest police station. He has no hiding place, as we are officially following him. Those who know him should advise him, in his own interest, to come out of hiding.”

Edgal, while parading the Badoo suspects among others, said: “The peace of Lagos State was disturbed on December 30, 2017 at about 2.30am, at Alajo Close, Abule Osarun in Ibeshe Ikorodu, where a gang of three killers, addressed as Badoo by some sections of the press, invaded late Shakiru Yekini’s compound.

“The gang of murderers/ritualists, comprising of Igwe, Samuel and the third person, Omotayo, usually sprayed powdery substance into the victim’s dwelling place that would make their targets to fall into deep sleep before they end their lives by smashing their skulls with a grinding stone.

“The said Omotayo, having satisfied that victims are dead, would use a white handkerchief to scrub their blood for ritual purposes. However, luck ran out of them when one of the victims raised the alarm, which attracted the local vigilance group, which in turn alerted the police in the area.

“The compound was cordoned off, leading to the arrest of Igwe at the scene. Igwe confessed to being a member of Badoo and made startling revelations to the police that led to the arrest of Omotayo and Samuel who had earlier escaped from the scene.

“We recovered a grinding stone, smeared with blood used to smash the skulls of their victims.  The exhibits have been taken to a topnotch laboratory for forensic analysis and comparison with the blood sample of the victims.