The self-confessed “supreme leader” of the Berry Boys, an illegal cult group in Lagos State, Malik Bello, has admitted he was being paid as a dreaded street thug to stage wars against perceived enemies.
The Lagos State Police Command is holding the 22-year-old suspect for alleged murder and other related offences.
Bello was paraded yesterday before journalists at the Command Headquarters, Ikeja, along with about 15 other suspects.
The Berry Boys gang has its operational base at the Itire and Mushin areas of the state.
Bello, who had been on the police wanted list for several years until he was arrested early this month, said, “I am a paid thug. People pay me to fight their enemies. I also organize street fights at Idi-Araba and Mushin. I have boys. The police said I am a cultist, but I say I am just a common street fighter.”
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, who paraded the suspect and the others, told journalists that Bello had confessed to be responsible for series of violent attacks, murders and armed robbery incidents recorded in the Idi-Araba, Lawanson, Donsunmu, Ashimowo Bakare, Omo-Bola Mushin and Itire areas of the Lagos metropolis.
Odumosu, who was represented by the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Deputy Superintendent Bala Elkana, said Bello told police interrogators that he was initiated into the cult at age 12 when he was in junior secondary school.
The police Commissioner said, “He later rose to the Number One position. The gang has an official Facebook page (Bbl Baloteli), with 1,928 friends. According to Bello, they use the Facebook page and other social media accounts to recruit new members, plan attacks and give updates to members.”
Odumosu disclosed that in another development, the Command busted a syndicate in Agbara that allegedly specialised in robbing market women.
“Recently, the gang members, who operate on motorcycles, were sighted by some operatives. The hoodlums were robbing victims. But it was the end of the road for one of their members, Godwin, who was arrested and a locally made gun with three live cartridges were recovered from him. We have declared a manhunt for other fleeing gang members,” he said.
