How Leader of Aiye Cult Group, Akeem Abudu Met His Death At the General Hospital, Ikorodu - Police

THE WHOLE TRUTH.

RE- ROW OVER ALLEGED DEATH IN CUSTODY OF 37 YEAR OLD ACCUSED OF BEING A CULTIST:--

THE TRUE STORY

The attention of the Nigeria Police, Lagos State Command has been drawn to the above story or for better expression, incident, as published in The Nation Newspaper publication of Saturday, 23rd December, 2017, at pages 16, 17 and 34, and was stunned by the total falsification of facts cum circumstances of the case. 

 

The Lagos State Police Command hereby releases to the general public the true story and verifiable facts of the incident as follows:

 

FACTS OF THE CASE: On the 23rd day of July 2016, following rival cult supremacy clashes which resulted in the killings of two members of a rival Eiye cult group namely, Saheed, (a cab driver) killed at Imota bus stop and one Coach, who was daringly hacked to death close to Imota police station, fear pervaded the land, the entire area was tensed and became generally unsafe for the ordinary residents of Imota, Isiwu, Emure and Adamo communities of Ikorodu, Lagos state. Security operations in these areas were heightened to restore law, order and general safety of the area. 

 

To achieve this objective, SARS operatives from Lagos State Police Command Headquarters, Ikeja were deployed to the area as reinforcement to Imota Divisional Police Headquarter Anti Crime/ Anti Cultism patrols.

 

Community vigilante groups also assisted the regular police efforts in containing the deadly operations of these dare devil and blood thirsty cult groups. 

Intelligence report available at that time revealed the identities of 10 members of the notorious Aiye cult group responsible for the deaths of Saheed and Coach of the rival Eiye cult group. They were subsequently arrested by the SARS assisted Anti crime / Anti cultism patrols of Imota police station. The names of those arrested are: 

 

1. Daramola Isreal 'm' 24 years

2. Oluwatobishe Akinyo 'm' 27 years

3. Balogun Kamorudeen 'm' 28 years

4. Akin Sholanke ' m' 24 years.

5. Friday Oda 'm' 24 years

6. Arogege Bolaji 'm' 28 years

7. Akeem Amune ' m' 26 years

8. Ige Muritala. 'm' 43

09.Suleman Nojeem 'm' 20

10.Akeem Abudu 'm' 34 (deceased cult leader)

 

During the investigation that followed their arrest, all of them made statements confessing that they belong to Aiye cult group but denied involvement in the gruesome murder of Saheed and Coach of the rival Eiye cult group. 

 

Also in the course of the investigation, a locally made shot gun was recovered from Akeem Abudu, the leader of the Aiye cult group. Other exhibits recovered from the group were as follows:

 

1. Two cut to size locally made double barrel guns

2. One cut to size locally made single barrel gun.

3. One locally made single barrel pistol

4. Three axes

5. Three cutlasses

6. 50 live cartridges

7. Assorted charms

 

On 20th August, 2016, at about 1430 hours, the late Akeem Abudu who had earlier sustained bruises and wounds during rival cult clashes, slumped at about 1430 hours and was immediately taken to General hospital, Ikorodu, from where they were referred to Lagos State University Teaching, Hospital ( LASUTH), Ikeja. He was certified dead at about 2345 hours of same date.

 

Autopsy examination conducted on the corpse revealed that the deceased died of Acute Cardiac Failure/Hypertensive Heart Disease.

The remains of the late Akeem Abudu was deposited at the TOS LASUTH Ikeja morgue.

 

However, till this day the family has failed to claim of the corpse of Akeem Abudu for burial.

 

Investigation of the other members of the Aiye cult group arrested alongside the late Akeem Abudu, continued and they were later arraigned at Lagos State Magistrate court, Ikeja Magisterial District on charge no CR/MISC/A/13/2016.

 

COP vs Daromola Isreal and 8 Ors in a 5 count charge of the offences of belonging to unlawful society, unlawful possession of firearms and unlawful possession of criminal charms.

 

The Casefile was subsequently forwarded to the office of the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in a letter reference number CB: 3514/LSX/SARS/VOL.18/67 dated 4th November, 2016. Thereafter, legal advice was given in a letter with reference number LJP/RT/2016/322/23 dated 3rd March 2017 directing that the defendants be prosecuted for the aforementioned offences.

 

It is to be noted that before his arrest on the 18/08/2016, the said Akeem Abudu (deceased) was standing trial at Lagos State Magistrate Court, Igbosere Magisterial District for same cult related offences. 

 

In view of the above facts and circumstances that led to the arrest, investigation and death of Akeem Eleja Abudu, it is easy to see that the reason why the police authority in Lagos beamed its search light on the activities of Akeem Abudu a.k.a Eleja and cohorts wasn't because of land matters or any civil issue as claimed by members of his family but rival cult clashes between Aiye confraternity led by the deceased and the Eiye confraternity. The clash unfortunately consumed Saheed and Coach of Eiye confraternity. It is also not true that the police killed Akeem Abudu and hid his body. The medical records are there for anybody's perusal and his body is still there at TOS morgue in LASUTH. The death of Akeem Abudu just like that of any human being is unfortunate and we sympathise with his family members. The police couldn't have killed Akeem Abudu and charged his gang members to court. It doesn't add up at all.

 

The Commissioner of police Lagos State, CP Edgal Imohimi since assuming office had led enlightenment tours to educate the youths on the need to renounce cultism, shun drugs and pick up their books. He had said at different fora that the only possible outcome of gangsterism, drugs and brigandage is either death or injury. He warned the youths never to enlist with these underworld societies as it is not easy to get out of it without a dent. 

 

At this juncture, we make bold to say that the totality of the Late Akeem Abudu's family accounts as regards police actions into the matter, reported in pages 16,17 and 34 of the 23rd December, 2017 edition of The Nation Newspaper are totally false, misleading and a calculated attempt to discredit and discourage the ongoing Police/Community Partnership efforts aimed at eradicating crimes and criminality in Lagos state.

 

SP Chike Oti

Police Public Relations Officer,

Lagos State Police Command