The Lagos State Police Command has linked the discovery of five lifeless bodies along the Oreta riverbank in Igbogbo, Ikorodu Local Government Area, to suspected cult-related violence.
Commissioner of Police, Olohundare Jimoh, who confirmed the incident, said investigations had commenced to unravel the circumstances surrounding the killings. He urged residents of the host community to remain calm, assuring them that new security measures were being deployed across Ikorodu and other flashpoints in Lagos.
“That is why we are investigating. The bodies were recovered and our scene-of-crime experts have already carried out preliminary checks. I have received their report and issued further directives. Once the investigation is concluded, the outcome will be made public,” Jimoh stated.
The mutilated remains of the young men, discovered by the riverside on Wednesday, sent shockwaves through the community, with residents calling for tighter security and increased vigilance.
According to the police chief, the command has strengthened its anti-cultism operations, establishing dedicated units in every area command alongside a central squad at the state headquarters.
“I have created anti-cultism teams in all area commands. But this is not just a police fight, parents and guardians must counsel their children to shun cultism, because most of these killings stem from attacks and reprisals,” he added.
Eyewitnesses said one of the victims was found facedown in a blue hoodie, while another, clad in a black-and-white shirt, lay motionless with visible bloodstains.
Jimoh disclosed that cult-related incidents had spiked across the state in recent months, noting that more than 26 suspects had been arrested in connection with violent clashes.
