By Esther Onyegbula
A 34-year-old furniture maker, Seye Yinka, arrested by operatives of the Lagos State Police command alongside three of his gang members for being in possession of firearm, said he bought the gun for N30,000 to protect himself .
According to him, “I use the gun to protect myself any time there is cult violence in Oworoshoki and Bariga community.
“I am a cult leader, so when rival cults attack people in Iyana Oworo they seek refuge in my place. Many come to me for protection. Some squat with me till the dust settles.
“There was a time stakeholders held peace talks in the community, most of the rival cultists will call me on phone and threaten me that I am their target now.
“When the trouble became intense I had to buy a gun to protect myself. I bought the gun from one student for N30,000.”
Vanguard gathered that Seye Yinka and his colleagues, Ahmed Salami, 23; Isaac Akinshe, 18, and Yemi Sodiq, 30, were arrested on March 5 at about 2a.m. after the Police received intelligence report that a group of armed cultists, belonging to Aiye and Eiye rival cult groups attacked each other at Oworoshoki area of Lagos.
Recovered from them was a cut-to-size locally-made pistol and 12 cartridges.
Lamenting, 23-year-old cobbler, Ahmed Salami said: “I joined the gang two years ago. I haven’t achieved anything since I became a cultist. Last year, I was arrested for robbery at Iyana Oworo.
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“While in detention, I used an iron cutter I hid inside my clothes to cut the burglary proof of the cell and escaped. Unfortunately, I have been arrested again.”
Confirming their arrest, the spokesperson Lagos state police command, DSP Bala Elkana, said the Police received intelligence report that they were going for a robbery operation, “which was why we arrested them. Firearms were recovered from them.
“All suspects will soon be charged to court.”
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