How a cultist ends his army ambition

By OKOSUN OKHUELEIGBE

WHILE he hoped someday to become a soldier, Ahmed Ademola, a cultist, had a bloodlust. Supposing his dream came through and enlisted into the Nigerian Army, trained, and got official arms and ammunition? It’s anybody’s guess he would turn out a gentleman soldier.
Ademola, 24, is a member of the Eiye Confraternity from Oyo State now, though he resides at Fadipe in Bariga. He, along with Suraju Ramonu, a 33-year old motorcyclist, also a member of Eiye, allegedly murdered one Agboola Joseph at Bajuwaiye area of Shomolu during a cult clash with rival Aiye confraternity penultimate Sunday in Lagos.
Ahmed, Suraju and others now at large, all members of Eiye confraternity,  were said to have clashed with Aiye  group, leading to the shooting of the victim close to the canal at Shomolu. Ahmed, who confessed being a member of the cult was initiated in 2002 as a student of Owest Secondary School in Lagos Island, said he joined the cult for protection against attacks by cult boys within Bariga/Shomolu axis.
“I join Eiye cult to protect myself. I was not around when Agboola was shot. I only heard someone was killed and on my way to the Catholic Church, the police arrested me. I live at Ijora-Badiya with my mother. I am the eldest in a family of four and I want to enlist into the Nigerian Army when I am out of this problem. I had already bought the form and was about processing it before I was arrested,” Ahmed reiterated.
On his part, Suraju, aka Body, with several tattooes on his body, is a native of Ijebu-Igbo said he was not at home when Agboola popularly called Baba David was killed. He told National Daily, “I was with my pregnant wife who had had a miscarriage and was bleeding when someone called me that one man has been shot dead by a cult group. I was not there and didn’t participate.
“Although I am a member of Eiye confraternity, I didn’t kill Baba David. I was held by a member of Odua Peoples’ Congress (OPC) identified as S.O.J whom I had conflict with and handed me to the police at Alade Police station as the killer of the victim. I wasn’t there between 8-9pm when he was shot by people whom I was told came with KekeMarwa.”
Explaining how he was initiated into the cult, Suraju explained: “After I fought one of the Eiye boys, they came to my house in four Okada in February and forced me to a place where I was initiated by force at AbuleIjesha. I was forcefully initiated by AlewureLekanOseni. They told me for fighting with their members; I must join the cult because I am very strong. That was how I became a member. I neither pay any due nor attend their meetings. 12 of us were initiated in an uncompleted building. I was given Chelsea gin, Gari to eat because they told me that Gari is the food of Eiye confraternity.
Suraju who leaves at No 27 Bajuwaiye compound is the eldest in a family of two from divorced parentage from Ogun state. He regretted joining the cult because it has landed him in troubled waters. He also admitted knowing the deceased, whom he said, until his death, was a furniture man and resides at Olufemi Street, Shomolu.
A police source said the duos are presently detained at Panti where the homicide section is investigating the matter. Confirming the arrest, the spokesperson Lagos State Police Command, DSP Joe Offor said “We are constantly raiding those black spots where they congregate before carrying out their evil act. We have also increased our visibility both undercover and vehicular patrol and a lot of them have been arrested and charged to court.”