Naijagossiper

At 28 , Sani Rilwan has been a member of the Black Axe Confraternity for five years but the law caught up with him recently when a clash with a rival cult group , Eye Confraternity in Badagry , led to the death of two members of the latter group .
According to Rilwan , he was passing through Eiye territory in Badagry a few days before the incident when some of the members of the group threatened him with a gun .
He left the scene and few days later mobilised the members of his own cult group to the scene.
But Rilwan , a computer graphics designer , denied knowing who did the shooting once they got to the scene.
He said , “After the threat I received, I informed a member of my group named Nami , who mobilised other members and told me to take him there .
“I know six of the eight of us who went there . The remaining two were brought by Nami . When we got to the Eye boys ’ base in Vlekete , Badagry , shooting started and I ran away .”
Saturday PUNCH learnt that by the time dusts settled, two members of the Eye Confraternity – Ajilero Idowu ( 22 ) and Anweto Adebayo ( 28 ) – had been shot dead by members of Rilwan ’s group on August 27 .
But Rilwan insisted he was not one of the shooters .
He was arrested four days after the incident alongsides six others – Adewale Kazeem ( 23 ) , Olajide Zanu ( 21 ) , Adebisi Adekunle ( 35 ) , Tunde Adekanbi ( 32 ) , Ogunlade Femi ( 28 ) , Olufemi Babatunde ( 30 ) .
They were paraded with other suspects by the Commissioner of Police , Lagos State Command , Mr . Edhal Imohimi on Thursday .
Explaining how he became a member of the confraternity , Rilwan said he was invited to a birthday party without knowing it was a cult initiation.
“On our way , the vehicle diverted to a bush and we were all told to disembark at a point. They started beating us . After the beating , they told us we were now Aiye ( Black Axe) members ,” he said .
Two other members of his gang told journalists that they were initiated in similar fashion .
But Adekunle , who is a member of the Eye Confraternity , which lost two of its members in the clash , said his elder brother initiated him in their living room 10 years ago .
He said , “ One day , he called me into his living room and told me to kneel and close my eyes . He slapped me hard across the face. Then he told me to stand and open my eyes .
“He drank gin and spat it in my eyes and announced that I had now become a member of the Eye Confraternity .
“Shortly after I was initiated , my parents relocated to Badagry and I joined up with other cult boys in the town. I have never killed anybody in my life .
“I was in my shop when the police arrested me because someone had pointed me out as a cult member . ”
The commissioner of police said the suspects would be charged to court as soon as possible.
Imohimi said over the last one week , five kidnapping suspects were arrested in the state while six guns and 16 live cartridges were recovered from criminals .
According to him, his men also arrested members of a gang which distributed cocaine , heroin and Indian hemp in Surulere , Lagos .
He said , “At about 7. 15 pm on September 11 , the gang members were going for a robbery when they were spotted by members of the local security who alerted our men .
“The prompt information we received allowed our operatives to move in and arrest the suspects .
“Investigation showed that the group led by Saidi Kuku specialised in the distribution of hard drugs , cocaine , heroin , codeine .
“Those arrested are Saidi Kuku ( 43 ) , Jennifer Njagua ( 22 ) Abibat Fatai ( 32 ) , Lola Oladunmoye ( 25 ) , Michael Ogunferem ( 37 ) and Segun Badmus( 27 ) .”
Imohimi said one of the main thrusts of his policing plans would be to go after drug dealers .
He explained that there is a close connection between crimes and drug abuse .
“That is why I have charged all area commanders and divisional police officers to identify kiosks and locations where they sell cocaine and heroin rather than sit in their offices ,” he said .
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