By Our Correspondent

 

A young Nigerian man, Tosin Emmanuel Iyamu, is now in hiding after a brutal assassination attempt and the cold-blooded murder of his father—allegedly carried out by members of the dreaded AWAWA cult group in Edo. Tosin’s crime? Helping the police arrest the gang’s notorious leader, Tobi Akinbayo, also known as Scorpion, in 2019.

The AWAWA cult gang, infamous for its reign of terror in the Agege and Oko-Oba axis of Lagos between 2018 and 2019, had left behind a bloody trail of robbery, rape, and murder. One of the most horrifying incidents occurred in August 2019, when Tobi and his gang raped and murdered a 13-year-old girl in the Oko-Oba area. The crime shook the community and spurred the police into action.

Following a public appeal by law enforcement for any leads, Tosin had privately informed police investigators that he had observed suspicious activity involving Tobi near an abandoned building beside his home. The police discreetly shared a hotline number with him, urging him to call should he spot the suspect again.

In early September 2019, Tosin again spotted Tobi lurking around the same location. He quickly notified the police. Officers surrounded the area and successfully arrested the suspect. Tosin’s identity as the informant was kept secret—known only to the police and, unfortunately, later discovered by Tobi himself.

 

From Street Terror to Political Mercenaries

 

While the arrest brought momentary relief to the community, it did little to dismantle the AWAWA cult. Our investigations reveal that the gang rebranded, shifted underground, and found new life as foot soldiers and political thugs—allegedly in the service of Nigeria’s ruling political party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Sources allege that the gang members have since acted as mercenaries during political campaigns, hired to intimidate voters, attack opposition supporters, and carry out other forms of electoral violence, especially during the 2023 general elections. Their political connections have made them more powerful and difficult to rein in.

 

Scorpion Returns — With Vengeance

 

On April 2, 2025, nearly six years after Tobi Akinbayo’s arrest, Tosin was ambushed by three unknown assailants while on his way to work in Lagos. He narrowly escaped the attack. Not long after, it became public knowledge that Tobi, purpularly known as Scorpion, had been released from prison. This made Tosin who had reported to Elere Police Station, Agege, where an officer, Inspector David, at the station, reportedly assured Tosin of his safety, even as he continued to receive dead threats from him.

“You can run, but I’ll find you,” Tobi allegedly said in one of the chilling threats, vowing to exact revenge for his imprisonment.

Fearing for his life, Tosin resigned from his job and fled Lagos for his hometown in Edo State. There, he sought refuge with his father and formally lodged a complaint with the state police commissioner. Assurances of protection were given, but they were not enough to stop what came next.

On May 12, 2025, as Tosin was doing laundry behind the house, he saw a group of armed men—numbering over 15—storming the compound. Among them was a familiar face: Tobi Akinbayo, a.k.a Scorpion. Before he could raise an alarm, Tosin leapt over a fence and ran into the nearby bush, evading capture once again.

However, tragedy struck. While Tosin hid at a friend’s house, he learned through the photograph taken by his friend that his father had been brutally murdered by the gang. Witnesses say the attackers strangled Mr Johnbull Iyamu to death in cold blood before fleeing the scene.

Iyamu Tosin, now a fugitive in his own country, is believed to be in hiding somewhere in the southern region, gripped by trauma and fear.

A Disturbing Pattern of Impunity

 

This incident has raised pressing concerns over the increasing brazenness of criminal gangs who find safe haven under political patronage. Security analysts say cult groups like AWAWA have evolved from neighborhood terror squads into hired political enforcers, protected by influential sponsors in high places.

“The AWAWA Boys are no longer just a local menace, they have become a national security threat,” said a retired police officer who spoke on condition of anonymity. “When you allow cultists to mix with politics, you breed a monster that’s hard to contain.”

Community leaders in Agege and Edo State are calling for a full investigation into the political links of these cult groups and the re-arrest of Tobi Akinbayo and his gang. So far, police authorities have not made an official statement regarding the allegations.

As for Iyamu Tosin, justice remains elusive. He has lost his home, job, and father, all for doing what he believed was right. His story serves as a grim reminder of the risks faced by whistleblowers in Nigeria, and the deadly consequences when the line between crime and politics becomes dangerously blurred.