By Merciful Omoba
The Lagos State Police Command has linked the discovery of five corpses along the Oreta riverbank in the Igbogbo area of Ikorodu to cult-related violence.
Residents were thrown into panic on Wednesday after the bodies of young men were found by the riverside.
A short video circulating online showed the lifeless victims, including one in a blue hoodie and another in a black-and-white shirt stained with blood.
Police Commissioner Olohundare Jimoh, in an interview with PUNCH Metro on Saturday, confirmed the incident was cult-related, noting that investigations were underway.
“We recovered the bodies and sent scene-of-crime experts there. The team has briefed me, and we have given directives on areas to touch. The outcome of the investigation will be made public,” Jimoh said.
He explained that anti-cultism squads had been established across all area commands, in addition to a central unit at police headquarters.
“Parents and guardians must also warn their children against cultism, as we are seeing increasing attacks and counterattacks,” he added.
The CP disclosed that over 26 suspects had already been arrested in ongoing operations, with more arrests being made. Specialised strike forces have also been deployed to coastal areas like Lekki to maintain peace.
The Oreta killings came just a day after a man was murdered in Bayeku, another Ikorodu community. Earlier in the week, three suspected cultists were also killed during a festival on Lagos Island.
Reacting to the incident, Igbogbo/Baiyeku LCDA Chairman, Hammed Aroyewun, said the attack shook the community and heightened fears over safety, but assured residents that measures were being taken to restore calm.
Despite recent gains in Mushin, where police said cultism had been suppressed, the spate of killings in Ikorodu underscores the persistence of violent rivalries across Lagos.
