At least 25 young men have died in a horrifying outbreak of cult-related violence in Sagamu, the seat of Ogun State’s Sagamu Local Government Area. The massacre was the consequence of an ongoing supremacy war between competing cult groups, especially the Eiye and Aiye confraternities.
The violence began on a fateful Saturday, and since then, these cults have brutally murdered around 20 young people, including secondary school pupils. Residents’ shocking and horrifying videos and photographs published on social media show the victims lying in pools of their own blood, with others having their limbs cut by their assailants.
Muyiwa Adejobi, the Nigeria Police Force Public Relations Officer, addressed the situation in response to these heinous cult killings. Adejobi stated on his official social media account that the problem in Sagamu goes beyond the deployment of an anti-cult team. He urged for a collaborative effort to address the problem, involving community leaders, legislators, and law enforcement.
Adejobi stated, “Sagamu’s case goes beyond the mere anti-cultism squad. The elders know how to handle them. The politicians know what to do. I was in their midst in Sagamu between 2006 and 2008, but there was no single cult clash before I left in 2008. I worked then with the late Akarigbo, Oba Michael Sonariwo, and others.”
He urged the Ogun State Commissioner of Police to take action in response to reports from residents that these cultists are well-known to security agents. “I will engage the CP on this,” Adejobi affirmed. “Whoever is dealing with cultists and criminals must not compromise. That person must stand firm and operate against all odds.”
Adejobi continued, “Most of those causing this problem in Sagamu are not even Sagamites. At times, they come from Ijebu Ode or Ago Iwoye to strike and move. In some cases, they come as far as Edo State. It’s a problem that the whole system must tackle, not only the security forces. It requires multi-track diplomacy.”
Concluding his remarks, Adejobi stressed the need for community involvement, saying, “I think the community should rise up to it. They should have an urgent meeting with the heads of all the quarters in Sagamu, along with the police and vigilante groups, to address this matter. Sagamites know and understand what I am saying here. I worked in Sagamu for almost 2 years.”
