Cult member kills man over N20,000 politician’s gift

- A suspected cult leader, Lukuman Agboola, was arrested in Lagos over a murder case 

- He allegedly killed one Adegoke Philip over N20,000 gift given by an unnamed politician 

- Agboola was said to be a leader of the Eiye Confraternity The police in Lagos have arrested a suspected leader of the Eiye Confraternity, Lukuman Agboola, in the Bariga area of the state, for allegedly killing a resident, Adegoke Philip. 

Agboola, popularly known as Baggo, reportedly killed the victim following an altercation over N20,000 which was given to them by an unnamed politician in the community, the Nation reports. 

It was learnt that as Agboola wanted to collect the gift from the politician, one of his gang members, identified simply as Ahmed, hijacked it and fled. Agboola was reportedly angered by Ahmed’s conduct.

A scuffle subsequently ensued between Agboola and Philip, after the latter reprimanded him for the flare-up. After being separated, Agboola allegedly led his gang members to attack the victim the following day and stabbed him to death. 

Sometime in April 2018, some months after the alleged murder, the suspect reportedly went to the New Garage area, Bariga, and threatened people with a gun. The operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, Lagos State Police Command, reportedly went after him after the threat was reported to the police. 

The state commissioner of police, Edgal Imohimi, while parading suspected cult members and armed robbers on Monday, May 7, at the command headquarters in Ikeja, said 35-year-old Agboola was arrested on May 1, 2018.

He said: “In the third week of April 2018, the police received a call from an unknown person that one Lukuman Agboola, aka Baggo, a leader of the Eiye Confraternity threatened people with a gun at New Garage, Bariga. “On April 28, 2018, information filtered in that the said Baggo was sighted in the Yaba area of Lagos and we went into action immediately. 

Our efforts paid off on May 1, 2018, when we tracked him down on a motorcycle along Ogooluwa Street, Bariga, around 2pm. “The suspect was discovered to have caused the death of one Adegoke Philip aka Major, on August 21, 2017 in company with other deadly cult members namely: Rainbow, Aranze, Segun, aka Gbodon, Adekunle, Asumo, Ade and Agbara. 

The late Philip was stabbed to death by these members of the Eiye Confraternity, led by Lukuman Agboola. “Our investigation revealed that on August 20, 2017, a politician gave a gift of N20,000 to a group of cult members, including the suspect and the late Philip. 

Agboola wanted to receive the money from the politician, but Ahmed, one of the Eiye cult leaders, was faster and took the money from the politician. “This angered Agboola, who became unruly. 

The late Philip rebuked him, which resulted in a quarrel. Major gave him a blow and they were separated. The suspect did not forgive the late Major and the next day, he murdered him.” 

The command said Agboola’s confession led to the arrest of one Owodubi Ilesanmi, 37, on May 2, 2018, in Makoko. Ilesanmi, who was said to be one of the leaders of the Eiye cult and a close friend of the late Philip, was also allegedly involved in the murder.