By Esther Onyegbula
The Police in Lagos, recently, recorded a breakthrough after detectives arrested suspected leader of a notorious cult gang that has been terrorizing Bariga and its environs.’ The 29-year-old suspect identified as Abiodun Taiwo, was arrested in Shomolu area while allegedly attempting to mobilize members of his gang for an operation in Ogun state. Police sources intimated that the group usually engage in robbery, looting and other nefarious activities in the area.

Crime Guard gathered that his arrest was made possible based on intelligence report over the nefarious cult activities in the area which made the Lagos State Police boss, Kayode Aderantti issue stern directives that members of the gang must be fished out ‘dead or alive.’

Abiodun Taiwo

The directive yielded positive results, leading to the arrest of their leader, Abiodun Taiwo who reportedly doubles as a political thug. Surprisingly, Abiodun was said to have been to prison twice and was recently released from Ikoyi prisons where he spent 14 months in jail.

SUSPECT’S ACCOUNT

The suspect opened up to Crime Guard at the Police headquarters, Ikeja where he is still undergoing interrogation. “I am very famous in Bariga because I am a boxer and I also train prospective boxers. I was initiated into cultism at Olabisi Olabanjo University while I was a diploma student. I was only able to finish my diploma program.

After I completed it, I went for computer training to enable me secure a job as a computer operator. While in school, I belonged to Aiye but each time I returned from school to Bariga, Eiye confraternity was dominating the space in Bariga and I wasn’t happy with the development, but I kept my cool.

During my stay in Bariga, some cult boys known as Saggy boys killed a guy called Surebiscuit. This led to serious attack between the groups and consequently, the death of some of them. I wasn’t part of the attack but because I mingle with Saggy boys, I was arrested.

I was later charged to court and then sentenced. I spent about a year and two months before I was released in October but while I was serving my jail term in Ikoyi prisons, I renounced my membership as a cultist. It was then I learnt that a friend of mine Seun, who is also a member of my cult group, was stabbed to death. Initially, I told detectives that my fellow cultists had three guns because I was afraid.

One Abiola that I mentioned is not a member of my cult group. I just mentioned his name to defend myself. But, Seun was a member of my cult group before he was stabbed to death in Shomolu area of Lagos. He was the only person I used to mingle with each time I was in Bariga. When he was alive, he had a locally-made gun which we used.

HOW I WAS ARRESTED

“I came to see my girl friend in Bariga. I was walking along the street at about 8pm to collect my wife’s pregnancy test report from a nearby laboratory. While coming back, I decided to see a politician in Bariga who was organizing political campaign in his house. He is a ward chairman.

I usually go to him each time I am broke as he often assisted me with cash. It was while I was going to see him that I was arrested. Concerning my wife, we are yet to marry officially but she is my girlfriend and she is pregnant. I believe she is aware that I am in Special Anti – Robbery Squad, SARS, custody because that very day I left, her people in the vicinity saw when I was being arrested. I feel very bad now that I have been arrested.

MY relationship WITH POLITICIANS

My relationship with politicians started when a friend of mine called me and said that there was one politician vying for a position in Ogun state House of Assembly, that he wanted us to mobilize young men who would travel from Lagos to Ogun State to register as voters.

He said he would give two buses to us to enable us travel to Ogun state where we would register with INEC in that locality and also come there to vote for him during the election. So, I told the politician that he would pay five million Naira for me to be able to mobilize the number of youths. Initially, I demanded ten million because my friend that introduced me to the politician told me to bill the politician so that we can have enough to go round.

The politician gave us two options, the outright pay off or the benefits. According to him, each meeting day he would give every member N10, 000. I was still trying to mobilize the youths when I was arrested.

MOBILIZING YOUTHS

Already, I had met a couple of youths in Bariga area who showed interest in the deal. They agreed to register in Ogun state as far as money was involved. I usually travel with the politician.

Each time he is traveling, I abandon everything I am doing and go with him. And any time I travel with him, I come back with about N10, 000 to N15, 000, it makes me happy. I love traveling with him because I know I won’t come back empty handed. Most times, I follow him to his political meetings and campaigns; I am a member of APC.”