The police in Lagos have directed churches and mosques in Ikorodu and environs to stop holding vigils unless there is adequate security to protect worshippers against the killer Badoo cult.
Acting Commissioner of Police, Imohimi Edgal, gave the directive at a stakeholders’ meeting held at the palace of the Ayangburen of Ikorodu, Oba Abdulrasheed Shotobi, on Saturday night following resumption of killings by suspected members of the cult.
Mr Edgal warned that the police would arrest and charge any pastor in whose church ritualists kill worshippers during vigil with murder.
“Henceforth, no pastor should organise a vigil in Ikorodu without adequate security arrangement. Do not organise any vigil if you cannot protect the lives of the people who attend,” the police chief said.
Majority of the ritual killings, he said, took place on the church premises, adding that in most cases, the pastors would have concluded their prayers and left before the murderers would attack vulnerable women and children.
“All churches and mosques should not have vigil in isolated locations and pastors leave them to go home and they attack the women and children.
“If you must have night vigils, you must put in place, structures to protect your worshippers. If I hear that anybody is murdered in any church or mosque, I will arrest the pastor or the Imam and charge them to court for murder
“Three-quarter of the cases we have had in Ikorodu is related to relatives of a church member or pastor. They either occurred in the church premises or a building housing a church. We must protect the women and children,” Edgal added.
The police chief also announced the imposition of curfew between 1am and 4am across the district, urging traditional rulers to prevail on their people to commence patrols and ignite burn fires to ward off killers.
He blamed the resurgence of crime in the town on the release of some suspected Badoo cultists and a “period of peace had made us relax”, adding “we have to wake up again because there is a possibility of those freed hoodlums to unite and trouble the peace in Ikorodu.
He called on communities to set a particular time for search. Families were also encouraged to accommodate loved ones whose residence are in isolated places overnight.
“These crimes, he said, “usually happen between 1am and 4am. Any person moving around between those times must have a good reason.
“Vigilante groups should be strengthened and given mandate to question people moving around by that time. Anyone without a good reason should be arrested and handed over to security agents. I will not tolerate jungle justice.
“We have reached towards the end of the year and at this time; there are people who haven’t worked throughout the year but want to enjoy Christmas and New Year.”
