Native doctor who prepares 'juju' for killer cult group captured by police [Photos]

Adebayo who is also known as Alese was apprehended at his shrine in Imosan village, located around Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State.

The arrest was confirmed in a press statement forwarded to Punch News by the Lagos police. It detailed the activities of SP Chike Oti, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the aftermath of the arrest.

Some representatives of the gang who were taken into custody over the weekend told law enforcement officers about the involvement of the herbalist.

According to the police, the Badoo agents don't go for a killing without first consulting the herbalist who administers an oath for the cultists. Reports also stated that the head of the gang was captured while trying to escape on water.

“Adebayo, 34, who specialises in administering oath on members of the group before they launch any attack, was arrested at his shrine located in Imosan village, a suburb of Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State.

“The arrest of the herbalist followed the arrest of some Badoo cult suspects at the weekend, including the overall head of the group.

“Speaking while parading Adebayo before newsmen at the shrine, the State’s Commissioner of Police, Mr. Imohimi Edgal, said the head of the group was arrested on water during an attempt to escape.

“The CP, who led the operation involving the Commander of Rapid Response Squad, ACP Tunji Disu; Chairman of Lagos State Special Task Force, SP Yinka Egbeyemi, among others, said investigation was still ongoing but that the full details about the arrests made so far would be disclosed on Thursday at a press briefing,” the statement revealed.

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The charm-furnished shrine was demolished by the police whose representative Oti reiterated its commitment to protecting the lives and properties of the residents of Ikorodu. This is a much needed reaction from the police who have been getting a lot of bashing from members of the public.

“Revealing how the herbalist was arrested, Edgal said, ‘One of the suspects arrested confessed and he led us here that before they go for any killing, the head of the group brings them to this gentleman (Adebayo) to come and carry out oath for both themselves and the piece of stone they used for their killings and that they don’t go for any killing without first of all coming for oath in this shrine and that is why we are here.

“This gentleman is an accomplice before the fact and so definitely we are placing him under arrest and as well as sealing off the shrine till after investigation.

“I will give further details on Thursday during my press briefing but I can assure the good people of Ikorodu, Lagosians and Nigerians that we will not rest until this evil is completely rooted out from Lagos State.

“The CP also made a brief stop-over at the palace of the traditional ruler of Imosan Village, Chief Tajudeen Muili to intimate him of the criminal activities going on in his domain.

“At the shrine located at No 38, Ayegbami Quarters in Imosan, which was later demolished by policemen, there were different charms and big stones said to be used for the illicit activities of the Badoo group,” the police mentioned in addition to an earlier statement.

Before the recorded success in the battle against the cult group Badoo, a family of three was reportedly attacked on New Year's Eve. The head of the household, a man named Shakiru was confirmed dead following the assault which occurred at Ibeshe, Ogun State.

It had concerns regarding the competence of the police in respect to safeguarding the lives of the people they had sworn to protect.

The mood rhymes with the agitation inspired by reported robbery, assault and murder by some Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) agents.

This has seen the police hierarchy take swift action which involved a quick arrest of 32 SARS operatives who were remanded in a police facility in Abuja the Federal Capital Territory, prior to a trial.