Police: Five Bodies Found on Lagos Riverbank Linked to Cult Clash

The Lagos State Police Command has confirmed that the five corpses discovered along the Oreta riverbank in the Igbogbo area of Ikorodu were victims of a cult-related attack.

Residents were thrown into panic on Wednesday after the lifeless bodies of young men were found by the riverside. A short video from the scene showed some of the victims sprawled on the ground, including one in a blue hoodie lying face down and another in a black-and-white shirt with bloodstains nearby.

Speaking with PUNCH Metro on Saturday, the state Commissioner of Police, Olohundare Jimoh, said investigations were ongoing but stressed that the killings were cult-related. He revealed that scene-of-crime experts had already briefed him and that more directives had been issued to aid the probe.

“We recovered the bodies and sent forensic teams there. The five deaths are linked to cultism. We have been able to stabilise the area, and arrests are still ongoing,” Jimoh said.

The CP noted that over 26 suspects have so far been apprehended in connection with cult violence across Lagos. He added that anti-cultism units had been set up in every area command, supported by a central squad at the state headquarters. Specialised coastal strike forces have also been deployed to Lekki and other waterways to curb related violence.

Jimoh urged parents and guardians to counsel their children against joining cult groups, stressing that cultism now cuts across artisans, students, and professionals.

The Oreta killings occurred just a day after another man was murdered in Bayeku, also in Ikorodu. Earlier in the week, three suspected cultists were killed during a festival on Lagos Island, further heightening concerns over a surge in cult-related attacks across the state.

The Chairman of Igbogbo/Baiyeku LCDA, Hammed Aroyewun, described the incident as shocking and said the council responded immediately to restore calm in the community.