Lagos Police Bust Aye Cult Network, Arrest 21 at Birthday Party of Wanted Kingpin

  Lagos Police Bust Aye Cult Network, Arrest 21 at Birthday Party of Wanted Kingpin

By AfriWatch Nigeria Desk | April 11, 2026 | Security & Crime

The Lagos State Police Command has dealt a significant blow to the notorious A

ye (NBM) confraternity in a series of operations across the state, arresting dozens of suspected cult members and recovering weapons, phones, and cult-branded items in the process.

The arrests, confirmed by Lagos Commissioner of Police CP Tijani Fatai at a press briefing at the Command Headquarters in Ikeja on April 7, 2026, are part of an intensified crackdown on cultism and organised crime under the new police leadership in the state.

First Strike: Ajegunle, April 1

The operation began on April 1, 2026, when police operatives acting on intelligence arrested a 23-year-old suspect, Sunday Daniel, in the Ajegunle area of Lagos. A locally made pistol was recovered from his residence during the operation.

According to CP Fatai, Daniel confessed to being a member of the Aiye Confraternity — one of Nigeria's most feared cult groups — and has since provided useful information to aid the arrest of other fleeing members of the gang.

Birthday Party Turns Into Mass Arrest: Ajao Estate, April 5

The bigger and more dramatic operation came four days later.

In the early hours of April 5, 2026, at approximately 3:00am, operatives of the Lagos State Police Command stormed a hotel in Ajao Estate, acting on credible intelligence that suspected cult members had gathered there.

What they found was a birthday celebration — but not an ordinary one. The party was being held in honour of a notorious Aye cult figure known only as "Actor", described by police as a wanted kingpin who is currently on the run.

Police moved in swiftly, arresting more 21 suspects at the scene without resistance. CP Fatai confirmed that the gathering had been under surveillance before operatives made their move.

Items recovered from the hotel include:

- One locally made cut-to-size single-barrel gun

- Aye cult-branded envelopes and plastic bottles

- One laptop computer

- 23 mobile phones

- Several vehicles

The wanted cult leader "Actor" remains at large. Police say efforts to apprehend him are ongoing.

Part of a Wider Crackdown

The cultism arrests were part of a broader wave of operations in which the Lagos Command arrested a total of 47 suspects across 15 different crime cases in recent weeks.

Other operations included the arrest of a car theft syndicate, the foiling of a ₦20 million extortion plot involving an 18-year-old suspect, the arrest of a 52-year-old man found with a firearm and 96 rounds of ammunition concealed inside a pillow, and the detention of a 62-year-old alleged serial fraudster accused of defrauding a microfinance bank of ₦130 million.

CP Fatai also noted that the Easter celebration period passed without any major security breach in Lagos, attributing this to the proactive deployment of officers and collaboration with residents and other security agencies.

 The Aye Confraternity: Who Are They?

The Aye Confraternity, also known as the Neo-Black Movement Of Africa (NBM) or simply "Aye," is one of Nigeria's oldest and most violent cult groups, with roots stretching back to university campuses in the 1970s. Over the decades, the group has evolved into a violent street gang with strong networks in Lagos and other major Nigerian cities.

Aye members have been linked to armed robbery, murder, drug trafficking, and extortion across Nigeria. Their rivalry with other cult groups — particularly the Eiye Confraternity — has been responsible for numerous deaths in communities across Lagos, Rivers, and other southern states.

A Message from the New Lagos CP

CP Tijani Fatai, who assumed office on March 26, 2026, used the press briefing to send a clear message to criminal elements in the state. The recent arrests are widely seen as an early show of force by the new police chief, who appears determined to stamp his authority on Lagos's security landscape from the outset.

AfriWatch will continue to monitor the ongoing hunt for "Actor" and other fleeing members of the Aye network.

AfriWatch says: Cultism destroys lives, families, and communities. If you have information about cult activities in your area, report to the nearest police station or call the Lagos State Police Command. Say NO to cultism.

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