By Evelyn Usman
A visibly disturbed Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Police Command, CP Tijani Fatai, has raised the alarm over escalating cult-related killings, declaring that the Command under his watch, in collaboration with other security agencies in the state, would no longer tolerate the wave of cult-related violence ravaging communities.
He therefore called out residents, traditional rulers, and leaders across various sectors in the state for what he described as “dangerous silence” and complicity.
Addressing a maiden stakeholders’ meeting comprising traditional rulers, community leaders from different ethnic groups, and transport unions in the Idimu area of Lagos, on Thursday, the CP said his visit was not ceremonial but driven by urgency over the rising deaths linked to cultism.
He said: “This is a purposeful visit. I am not here on a familarisation visit, I am here because of what is happening within this Area Command, and I must tell you, I am here on a very, very sad note.”
Lamenting that killings have become routine, stressing that the nature of crime has shifted dangerously, CP Tijani revealed, “On a daily basis, we are recording deaths, not from armed robbery, not even from what we used to call direct murder but from cult clashes. Young people killing themselves in communities where we have elders, where we have responsible youths, where we have people of integrity. This is unacceptable.
“Cultism leads to robbery. It leads to rape. It leads to drug addiction and other vices. What is cultism contributing to our society? Nothing. It is only destroying our future,” he said.
He blamed the resurgence of the menace on the collapse of community leadership and the reluctance of residents to speak out.
He noted: “In those days, elders took charge. What the elders rejected never survived in the community. Today, the elders are watching. The youths are doing whatever they like, and that is why these boys now have a field day committing atrocities. You see something, you say nothing. You hear something, you keep quiet. And later, you complain. That is not how to solve a problem. If you keep quiet, it will continue and that is exactly what is happening.
“Police cannot be everywhere. The number of officers we have cannot cover every corner. That is why we need you. Security is a collective responsibility. It is not for the police alone; it is for all of us,” he added.
The Command boss, who also expressed concern over the involvement of minors, recounted seeing disturbing footage of underage cultists.
“I saw a video of children aged 12, 13, and 14 already involved in cult activities. These are our children. If we allow this to continue, we are destroying our future with our own hands.
“Life is sacred. Only God gives life, and only God should take it. But today, life means nothing to these boys. They kill as if they are playing games.
“We are entering an election period, a very sensitive time. If this is happening now, what do you expect during elections? This is the time to act. If we fail to act now, many of us may not even be safe in our own homes,” he cautioned.
Calls out landlords
The CP also decried the role of some landlords and influential individuals who shield criminal elements. He observed: “These boys live among us. Some landlords rent houses to them and do not care what they do as long as they pay rent. Some people even make calls when arrests are made, asking us to release suspects.
“When we carry out raids in known black spots, people still complain. They say their children are innocent. Meanwhile, these same individuals are involved in serious crimes. You cannot protect criminals and expect peace. This must stop,” he warned, adding that such interference undermines law enforcement and emboldens criminals.
“Bring them out. Tell us where they are. Give us information and we will follow it up. If the community rejects them, they will not survive here.
“Let me make it clear: we are not going to spare anybody. Anyone involved in cultism or violent crime will face the full weight of the law. We will go after them, and we will not relent,” CP Tijani declared.
In his response, the Oba of Shasha Kingdom, Oba Babatunde Akinowo I, acknowledged the concerns raised and assured the meeting that decisive steps would be taken to address the surge in cult-related violence, stressing that the problem was neither hidden nor beyond control.
He assured that he and other traditional rulers under Area ‘M’ would reassess their strategies and strengthen their operations, noting that there would be improvement.
Calling on his contemporaries and other leaders present, he said: “It is wrong for anyone to call the police to release suspects. As leaders, we must set the right example and discourage such behaviour.”
On his part, the Grand Patron of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), Prince Michael Oyeniyi, said: “On behalf of the PCRC, we assure you that all the points you have raised have been noted, and things will change. Previously, we slept with our two eyes closed, but events have taken a different turn. The ball is now in our court; we must reawaken and return to the drawing board.”
Representatives of transport unions, Abdulrazaq Morakinyo, who pledged the union’s support in working with the police to stem the tide of cultism, said the union has zero tolerance for misconduct within its ranks.
Morakinyo, who is the 1st Vice Chairman of the Road Transport Employers’ Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), Lagos State, said, “We do not tolerate drinking, drug abuse, or criminal behaviour in our parks. We monitor our drivers, keep records, and report any suspicious activity. We are ready to work with the police to sanitise the system,” he said.
The meeting ended with a consensus that tackling cultism requires urgent, collective action, with stakeholders agreeing that without community involvement, security agencies alone cannot stem the tide of violence.
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