Seven individuals were taken into custody by officers of the Lagos Zone 2 Command after a targeted raid by the "Zonal Puff Adder" team, according to a statement released on Thursday by DSP Gbenga Afolayan at the command headquarters in Onikan. The suspects are accused of murder, armed robbery, theft, cult activities and illegal possession of firearms.
The operation began on 3 March when police acted on "credible intelligence" and detained a 23‑year‑old named "Karube." Afolayan said Karube directed officers to a hideout called "Lion's Den" on Adeleye Street, Orile Iganmu, where five more suspects were seized. A seventh suspect, identified as Bansa, was later arrested in the White Sand area.
Recovered items included a locally made cut‑to‑size shotgun, four cutlasses, a knife, a claw hammer, live cartridges, three spent cartridges and assorted charms. During questioning, Bansa admitted to shooting tricycle rider Ikujowolo at Shitta under‑bridge, Surulere, alongside an accomplice called "Small Messi." He also confessed to killing a 40‑year‑old man named Okoro on 14 February and was linked to two further killings on 18 February in Orile Iganmu.
All seven remain in police custody and are assisting investigators. AIG Olohundare Jimoh praised the operatives' "professionalism, bravery and commitment," reaffirmed the force's resolve to clear Lagos and Ogun states of criminals and urged the public to stay vigilant and provide timely information. (NAN)
AIG Olohundare Jimoh's public commendation of the Zone 2 team spotlights a rare moment of official praise amid Lagos' chronic security challenges, suggesting the police are keen to showcase successful crack‑downs.
The raid, which hinged on a tip from the arrested 23‑year‑old "Karube," illustrates how intelligence‑driven operations are becoming central to confronting gang‑linked violence. Recovering a homemade shotgun, multiple blades and live ammunition, and securing confessions to at least four murders, underscores the depth of the criminal network operating in Orile Iganmu and Surulere.
For residents of those neighborhoods, the arrests could translate into a short‑term reduction in street‑level threats such as armed robbery and cult‑related assaults. However, the reliance on informants also signals that community cooperation will be pivotal if ordinary Nigerians expect sustained safety.
This episode fits a broader pattern of Lagos police launching high‑visibility raids on suspected hideouts, a strategy aimed at deterring organized crime while bolstering public confidence in law‑enforcement capabilities.
