Personnel of the Lagos State Police Command, on Saturday, recovered the corpse of a yet-to-be identified man in the Adio bus stop area of Ijanikin.

The victim, said to be about 35 years old, was alleged to have committed suicide by taking an insecticide, Sniper, the bottle of which was found by his lifeless body by homicide detectives led by the Divisional Police Officer of the Ijanikin Police Station during a visit to the scene of the incident.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Bala Elkana, said in a statement on Sunday that the corpse was recovered from the bush and deposited in the Mainland General Hospital, Yaba, for autopsy.

Elkana said, “On Saturday, August 3, 2019, around 9.30am, information received by the Ijanikin Police Station revealed that one unidentified man, about 35 years old, was lying dead in a bush beside the bridge at Adio bus stop, Ijanikin, Lagos.

“A team of homicide detectives led by the DPO, Ijanikin Police Station, visited the scene. On close observation, one plastic bottle of Sniper, suspected to have been taken by the deceased, was found by his side. Photographs were taken and the corpse was removed and deposited in the Mainland General Hospital, Yaba, Lagos, for autopsy. Investigation is ongoing.”

In a similar development, the corpse of one Samuel Adebekun was also found in his Toyota Camry car with number plate BEN 231 CB around the Obalende area of the state.

Elkana said the corpse was discovered following a distress call by passers-by, who saw Adebekun lying unconscious in the vehicle.

He stated that when the doors of the car were forced open, the 61-year-old was discovered to have died, adding that when contacted, the deceased’s family said Adebekun had been ill.

Elkana said, “On Sunday, July 28, 2019, around 5.30pm, the Onikan Police Station received a distress call from Obalende Road that a man locked himself in a gold Toyota Camry with number plate BEN 231 CB.

“Immediately, the scene was visited, the door was forced open and it was discovered that the man had died. The family of the deceased was quickly contacted via his phone. The name of the deceased was revealed by the family as Samuel Adebekun, 61, and that he had been sick; so, no foul play was suspected. The corpse and the vehicle have been released to the family on request.”

In another development, cops attached to the Operation Crush and the Anti-Cultism Squad of the state police command, during separate operations in Ajegunle and Bariga, arrested 24 suspected cultists in the state.

While Suleiman Afeez, 32, was arrested when the personnel were patrolling the Amukoko area, the PPRO said Augustine Udih and 22 of his gang members were arrested during a raid on their hideouts in Bariga, adding that they would all be charged to court.

Elkana stated, “On Saturday, August 3, 2019, around 11am, men of the Anti-Cultism Squad, while on patrol, arrested one Sulieman Afeez, 32, at Mosafejo, Amukoko Street, Ajegunle, with a locally-made single-barrelled pistol with one live round of cartridge.

“The suspect confessed to being a member of the Aiye Confraternity. His gang is responsible for a series of violent crimes in Ajengule. Investigation is ongoing and efforts are in place to apprehend other members of his gang. The suspect will be charged to court.

“On the same date between 7.40pm and 10.15pm, operatives of the Operation Crush from eight divisions in the Area ‘H’ Command, Ogudu, acting on credible intelligence, raided cultists’ hideouts in Bariga. One Augustine Udih, 39, of Kajora Street, Bariga, and 22 members of his gang were arrested. They all confessed to being members of a deadly gang and cult responsible for various killings and violent crimes in Bariga. Investigation is ongoing; the suspects will be charged to court.”

Similarly, two cultists were arrested on Wednesday, July 24, 2019, around 8.30am by men of the Operation Crush at Itabale, Igbolomu area of Owutu, Ikorodu, while engaging each other in a battle for supremacy.

Elkana said one locally-made pistol was recovered from them, adding that the suspects had been charged to court.

In another development, personnel of the command, who acted on credible information, arrested a suspected cultist, Ismailia Rasaq, who had been on the wanted list of the command.

Elkana said Rasaq was the leader of a gang responsible for robbery attacks in Iba, Okokomaiko, Ojo and Ajangbadi, adding that he and his gang members used motorcycles to attack restaurants, bars and shops.

The PPRO stated, “On July 28, 2019, around 10.30pm, acting on credible intelligence, operatives from the Ilemba Police Station led by the DPO, CSP Kazeem Abonde, arrested one Ismailia Rasaq, aka Odia, 25, of No. 27 Alubarika House, Ajangbadi, Lagos.

“The suspect is number two in the hierarchy of leaders of the Eiye Confraternity ravaging the Abraham Adesanya College of Education, Ijanikin, and its environs. He participated in the killing of a member of a rival group at the Ojo area this year in retaliation for the killing of their member.

“Rasaq stated that his gang mostly used guns and axes in killing their victims and confessed to have participated in the robbery operation of a Naijabet shop in Iba on Sunday, June 11, 2019, around 9.46pm, alongside three other gang members, where they dispossessed residents of their handsets and money at gunpoint.

“The CCTV footage played to him buttressed his statement as he confirmed that he was the one in the footage holding a locally-made shot gun. He equally confirmed that his gang members were killed by operatives of the Special-Anti Robbery Squad in a shootout during another robbery operation in Iba.

“The suspect has been on the wanted list of the police. The state Commissioner of Police, Zubairu Muazu, has ordered SARS to take over the investigation and prosecution of the suspect.”