In a move to sanitize festivities in Lagos, the state police Command restricts local masquerades commonly known as Egungun to designated outing points just as it rattles criminal gangs in Isheri and Lekki areas of the state
By Patrick Ogboru
The Lagos State Police Command has announced the restriction of all Egungun masquerade festival activities to designated masquerade outing points and venues of celebrations.
A statement endorsed by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) CSP Benjamin Hundeyin on behalf of the Commissioner of Police (CP) Lagos State Command, Ikeja on August 31, 2025 indicated that the directive prohibits practitioners from engaging in public processions or street marching to ensure safety, and protection of lives and properties, and also protects and make sure that the rights of the adherents and followers of other religious faiths and groups are not infringed upon or molested during the current Egungun Masquerade festivals.
“To guarantee public safety and prevent further clashes between rival Egungun groups as currently being witnessed, and prevent damage to private and public properties as being reported in the last few days in some parts of Lagos State, Egungun Masquerades, practitioners and supporters are to strictly abide by these restrictions. They are also required to inform the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command and apply for police security ahead of the coming out of the Egungun Masquerade and followers.
“The Command will not hesitate to apply the full weight of the law on any Egungun Masquerade or their adherents and followers found in the disturbance of law and order, or in violation of fundamental human rights and dignity of human persons of the people of other religions or whose conducts are likely to cause breach of the peace anywhere in Lagos State.
“Lagos State Police Command, therefore, implores all Egungun Masquerades, adherents and supporters to cooperate with the Police during festival periods to ensure compliance with the laws of the land, so as to sustain peace, law and order in Lagos State,” the statement reads.
Meanwhile, operatives of the Tactical Team Isheri have successfully dismantled a car theft syndicate with the arrest of four suspects and the recovery of a stolen Toyota Hiace Bus.
On August 1, 2025, a report was received on a suspected case of car theft involving one Salisu Ibrahim Abdullahi ‘m’ 31, but acting swiftly on the report, detectives deployed intelligence-driven techniques which led to the arrest of the principal suspect, Salisu Ibrahim Abdullahi, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Further investigation led to the arrest of three accomplices namely: Yenusa Salihu ‘m’ 45, a mechanic; Baba Jero Idris ‘m’ 49, a car dealer; and Abdullahi Aliyu ‘m’ 41, a businessman. All three were apprehended in Kano and the operation also resulted in the recovery of the stolen grey Toyota Hiace bus in the same location. The suspects will be charged to court upon conclusion of the ongoing investigation.
The Commissioner of Police, Olohundare Jimoh, commended the operatives for the swift and intelligence-led approach that led to dismantling of the car theft syndicate and assured visitors and residents of Lagos State that the Command will continue to deploy cutting-edge policing strategies to curb vehicle theft and bring criminal elements to justice.
In a related development, the state police command has announced the implementation of new sustainable crime prevention, detection and control strategies for the Lekki Ajah area of Lagos and redeployed Divisional Police Officers (DPOs).
It has strengthened and beefed up security across Lekki, Ajah and its surrounding areas, including Ogombo and Elemoro, through the implementation of new crime prevention, detection and control strategies to ensure safety of lives and properties and safety of private and public investments in the general area.
In a statement issued by Hundeyin, the Command explained that as part of these measures, it has redeployed some DPOs in the affected areas to bring new impetus towards curtailing crime and criminalities in the area and also improve on the operational efficiency and a proactive response to distress situations.
“To further reinforce the security, the Eko Strike Force, a specialized intervention unit, has been deployed to Lekki and Ajah to address all forms of crime and criminality in the Lekki area and its environs. The Command calls on residents to cooperate fully with the intervention team to ensure the success of the operations and maintain safety and security for all.
“The Command wish to inform members of the public that it has commenced discreet investigation into the unfortunate incident that occurred on Sunday in Lekki Phase 1, where an inter-cult clash resulted in the death of three cultists. The clash occurred at a security duty post in an uninhabited open land space around Wole Olateju Street, involving members of rival cult groups at about 0500hrs.
The CP Olohundare Jimoh personally mobilized to the scene with joint police teams to attend the situation and ensure swift action to attend to the situation. The recently established Anti Cultism Team and other Tactical teams under the Elemoro Area Command were immediately deployed to Lekki Phase 1 and several arrests of suspects linked to the crime were made in connection with the incident,” the statement reads.
It explained that raids of criminal hideout and black spots in the Lekki areas were carried out leading to the arrests of suspects linked to the clash including Frank Okpara ‘m’ 27, Friday Ebuka ‘m’ 27, Babatunde Mufutau ‘m’ 24, Suleiman Muri ‘m’ 25, Olamide Malik ‘m’ 24, Nwaka Lucky ‘m’ 34, Raphael Ashim ‘m’ 30, Wasiu Kareem ‘m’ aged 33, Sadiq Olabisi ‘m’ 40, Ibrahim Abdul ‘m’ 22, Ibrahim Aminu ‘m’ 37 and Nasiru Musa ‘m’ 27
Others are Friday Nwafor ‘m’ 51, Ahmed Fatai ‘m’ 26, Aro Abiola A.K.A Zino 25, Tijani Shehu A.K.A Abana ‘m’ 26, Gift Igedi ‘m’ 31, Ugochukwu Chike ‘m’ 30, Ridwan Alex ‘m’ 37, Happiness Otigbo ‘m’ 27, Abiodun Adegun ‘m’ 37, Adedayo Adeoti ‘m’ 27 and Afeez Ahmed ‘m’ 31
Exhibits used in the commission of the crime have been recovered from the suspects and below: One AK 47 rifle, one magazine, 14 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition, one military camouflage cap, two cutlasses, raps of Indian hemp, one charm and three Indian hemp crushers.
The Command assured that the security situation in the Lekki-Ajah axis is under control and normalcy has been fully restored after the incident and as such members of the public should go about their lawful activities without fear or apprehension.
