Three suspected members of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) have been arrested by operatives of the Nigeria Police in Lagos.
They were nabbed after the police raided a shrine allegedly used by them to extort members of the public.
Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, CP Imohimi Edgal, led detectives on Tuesday to the shrine.
He told journalists that the operators of the shrine were carrying out trial by ordeal on those arrested for offences not known to the police at the Opebi link bridge in the Ikeja area of Lagos.
According to him, some of the victims were tortured to force them to own up to the particular crimes they were being tried for.
“Based on the directive, a team of undercover policemen led by the DPO mounted surveillance around the area. On Monday, June 25, officials of the Neighbourhood Security Safely Corps witnessed a man being dragged into the shrine,” the police chief said.
“They were attracted to the scene by the man’s screaming. They quickly informed the DPO who moved his men to the scene, where three persons were arrested and the victim rescued.
“In as much as we believe in community policing and community partnership, let me sound a note of warning to any group of persons who may want to take laws into their hands that the command will deal decisively with members of such groups.
“Members of the OPC have been helpful to the command in the past. We see them as partners. But as you can see, some group of persons under the guise of the OPC have erected an office under the Opebi link bridge where they take people to try them by ordeal.
“They also have a shrine there that they bring their victims to. I believe that they forced victims to take an oath. We will not tolerate this in any part of the state. Those arrested are undergoing interrogation.
“One of the victims was freed. We are investigating and all those behind these barbaric acts will soon be rounded up. When they are arrested, they will be made to face the wrath of the law.”