A Yaba Magistrates’ Court sitting in Lagos State has sentenced a 23-year-old man, Ganiyu Ismaila, to three years imprisonment for unlawfully belonging to the Aiye confraternity in the state.

The magistrate, S. O Obasa, said the defendant was sentenced having pleaded guilty to one count of belonging to the cult group.

During the arraignment, the prosecutor, Godwin Oriabure, told the court that Ismaila committed the offence on January 4, 2019, in the Imota area of Ikorodu, Lagos, and was arrested on March 3, 2022.

Ismaila, while on trial, pleaded guilty to the offence and stated that his friend influenced him to join the cult group by inviting him for one of their meetings.

He added that his group held their meetings every first Sunday of the month at the St John’s primary school, Imota, where he was initiated.

The prosecutor told the court that Ismaila was arrested by the Anti-Cultism Unit of the Lagos State Police Command.

Oriabure also said Ismaila committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 42 (b) Cap CH, C17, Vol.3 Laws of Lagos State, 2015.