Category Archives: cult

What the **** is goin’ on in Ogun State, Nigeria? Alarming increase in ritualistic murders!

Posted on by

Killing for ritualistic purposes is rampant in Nigeria. In most states, ‘money ritual’ is a well-known phenomenon. I have already reported many cases on this site. In many states ritual murders are being committed. Reporting on these cases is erratic. Not always there is a follow-up, informing the public of any arrest made, or – in case suspects are arrested – whether they are put on trial, and what the outcome is.

Unfortunately, ritualistic murders or murders for ritualistic purposes are not rare in Ogun State, in Nigeria’s southwest. This year alone I already reported various cases, my most recent postings were on April 27 and March 15. 

Below I’ve listed four cases which happened during the past few months. Mind you, these are cases which have been reported. How many cases go unreported? To be correct, the fourth case, a seven-year old boy who was murdered for ritualistic proposes by his mum and step-father was already reported on April 27, from a different source. It does not make it less serious. I’m afraid ritualistic killings in Ogun State will continue, as they will in other states. How to end this barbaric practice?
(webmaster FVDK).

Notorious cultist arrested in Ogun State, confesses to killing three

Published: June 3, 2020
By: The Eagle Online, Nigeria

A notorious cultist, Adewale Adeoye, popularly known as 16, has confessed to killing no fewer than three persons since joining the Eiye cult.

Adeoye made the confession on Tuesday when he was paraded alongside 30 others by the Ogun State Police Command for different crimes.

The Commissioner, Ogun State Police Command, Kenneth Ebrimson, who paraded the suspects at the command headquarters in Eleweran, Abeokuta, accused them of involvement in cultism, armed robbery, murder and illegal possession of firearms.

Ebrimson said Adeoye, who has been on the wanted list of the police in connection with cult-related killings in Ijebu-Ode and its environs, added that he was arrested alongside five others at their hideout in Ijebu-Ode.

He said two locally-made single-barrelled pistols, one double-barrelled pistol, 11 live cartridges, assorted charms and Indian hemp were recovered from them.

Adeoye told newsmen that two of his victims were the killers of the leader of the Eiye confraternity in Ijebu-Ode, identifying them as Vandan, Koledowo and Abas.

He said he had been arraigned twice for similar crimes between 2012 and 2017.

He said: “I have been arraigned twice.

“I was first arraigned in 2012 and regained my freedom in 2015 because the complainant did not show up in court and they could not find anything incriminating against me.

“A few days after, the police came for my arrest again and kept me in custody for another two years before I regained my freedom again in 2017.”

Adeoye said he was the fourth in command in the confraternity in 2017 and later became the second in command a year later.

When asked if he renounced his membership of the cult after his arrest, he said: “I have not renounced my membership.

“They didn’t give me the chance because they told me that they would kill me if I renounced my membership.”

Source: Notorious cultist arrested in Ogun, confesses to killing three

AND

Ogun State:
Pastor seeking ‘power’ to grow congregation killed by native doctor for ritual

Published: May 27, 2020
By: The Eagle Online, Nigeria

A Pastor, Kalejaiye Ezekiel, who went to seek traditional power, has been killed by the same native doctor from whom he sought help.

According to available information, the pastor said he needed the power to draw worshippers to his church.

The Ogun State Command has since last month arrested the native doctor, Isiaka Ogunkoya, for the murder of the pastor.

The 48-year-old native doctor has also confessed to killing Ezekiel.

Ogunkoya told policemen mid last month: “The Pastor came to me for power so that his church would  grow.

“I used the opportunity to use him for my personal job.

“I mixed some sleeping solution for the pastor to drink and he slept off moments afterward.

“As he dozed off, I  picked a knife and slaughtered him.

“I am a native doctor and I have helped so many people, including pastors who want their congregation to grow, in the area.

“This particular incident happened because I personally needed human parts for a particular concoction that I wanted to prepare for one of my clients in Isoyin.

“When the Pastor came, saying that he wanted power so that his congregation could grow, I used the opportunity to kill him and used the needed parts for the concoction.

“I gave him some solution to drink and he fell deeply asleep and that afforded me the time to slaughter him and cut out the parts I needed for my concoction.

“I know I have done wrong, but I want forgiveness because if you go around and ask about me, people will tell you that I am a good person.

“This one just happened the way it did.”

The spokesperson of the Ogun State  Police Command, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said the native doctor was arrested by policemen on routine stop and search duty along Isoyin Road.

Oyeyemi, a Deputy superintendent of Police, said Ogunkoya would be profiled to know how many people he may have killed in the same manner.

He said the native doctor would be charged for murder at the end of investigation.

Source: Pastor seeking ‘power’ to grow congregation killed by native doctor for ritual

AND

Ogun State:
Human parts dealers go violent after customers fail to pay N1m for ‘fresh hand’

Published: May 21, 2020
By: The Eagle Online, Nigeria

Alleged human parts dealers in Ogun State last week went violent following the failure of three of their customers to come up with the N1 million agreed for the supply of a “fresh human hand”.

According to available information, after the customers failed to pay for the human hand, the human parts dealers lured them to a bush, where they had them beaten thoroughly for a couple of days before releasing them on May 17, 2019.

According to the spokesman of the Ogun State Police Command, Deputy Superintendent of Police Abimbola Oyeyemi, the development led to the arrest of four persons involved in the deal.

Oyeyemi, in a statement on Wednesday, said the operation, carried out in conjunction with the Ogun State Security Outfit, So-Safe Corps, also led to the recovery of the fresh human hand.

The Command’s spokesman, who identified the buyers of the fresh human hand as Matthew Idosu, John Feyisetan and Samuel Adegbola, said they were arrested alongside a 40-year-old herbalist, Michael Itomu, by operatives of the Police and So-Safe Corps at Idi-Iroko in Ipokia Local Government Area of the state for being in possession of a fresh human hand.

He said the suspects, through Idosu, had contracted someone in Abeokuta, the state capital, who promised to get the human hand for them for N1 million for money rituals.

Oyeyemi said in the statement: “On delivering the hand, the dealers demanded the agreed N1 million, but the money was not readily available; this led to a serious scuffle between them and they angrily took away the duo of Samuel Adegbola and John Feyisetan into a bush, where they thoroughly beat them before they were released on May 17, 2020.

“It was the action of those, who supplied the hand, that made the whole secret to leak out and which eventually led to their arrest.”

He said following a tip-off, the Idi-Iroko Divisional Police Officer, CSP Sunday Opebiyi, detailed his detectives in collaboration with men of the So-Safe Corps to ambush the suspects, leading to the arrest of three of them in Owode-Yewa, adding: “Their arrest led to the arrest of the herbalist in the early hours of Tuesday, May 19, 2020.”

Oyeyemi said the fresh human hand had been taken to the Idi-Iroko General Hospital for preservation, adding that the Commissioner of Police in the state, Kenneth Ebrimson, had ordered the transfer of the case to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department for further investigation.

He said: “He also directed that other members of the syndicate, who provided the hand, should be hunted and brought to justice.”

Source: Human parts dealers go violent after customers fail to pay N1m for ‘fresh hand’

AND

Ogun State: Mum, stepdad kill boy for ritual, bury him in upright position with parts missing

Published: April 26, 2020
By: The Eagle Online, Nigeria

Operatives of the Ogun State Command have arrested three persons, including the mum and stepdad, of a seven-year-old boy in the state, Pelumi Apalaya, for allegedly killing him for ritual.

The spokesman of the Command, Abimbola Oyeyemi, revealed this in a statement on Saturday.

According to the police, those arrested were the boy’s mum, Adetutu Apalaya; her husband, who is the boy’s stepdad and a herbalist, Lajuwon Ogunleye; and his friend, Fatai Sefiu.

Oyeyemi said in the statement that the boy, who lived with his mum and stepdad until he died in Abigi area of Ogun State, reportedly slumped and died on the spot without being ill.

This was said to have aroused the suspicion of some neighbours who trailed Apalaya, Ogunleye and Sefiu to a bush, where the corpse of the boy was reportedly buried in a mysterious way.

The incident was then reported at Abigi Police Station, with the Divisional Police Officer, SP Tarkighir Joseph, leading a crack team to track down the suspects in Iwopin area of Ijebu Waterside, Ogun State on Wednesday.

The three suspects led the policemen to where Pelumi was buried.

There, it was discovered that the victim was buried in an upright position with some of his parts removed.

Oyeyemi said: “On interrogation, the second suspect, Fatai Sefiu, told the detectives that the boy was actually used for ritual by the stepfather (Ogunleye) in connivance with the deceased boy’s mother.

“He stated further that the couple had reached a conclusion before he was co-opted into the business.”

He stated that Apalaya initially denied knowledge of her husband’s plan to use Pelumi for ritual, but later admitted to the crime, adding: “She was dumbfounded when asked whether or not she followed them to the bush where her son was buried and the mode of burial of the boy.

“Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, CP Kenneth Ebrimson, has ordered the immediate transfer of the case to the homicide section of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department for further investigation and prosecution.”

Source: Ogun: Mum, stepdad kill boy for ritual, bury him in upright position with parts missing

A community in Ebonyi State (Nigeria) overwhelmed by cult, ritual killings

Posted on by

Lawlessness, fear, impunity. Reportedly, the people of Elugwu-Ettam Okpoitumi, Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, don’t dare to wander outside after sunset. During the last seven years, not less than 10 people have disappeared, they have vanished. Why and how? Ritual killings? Cultism? Superstition? Land disputes? Revenge? What is sure that is that the law is not upheld. Impunity reigns. And fear. The absence of fear is a human right, the protection of its citizens is an obligation of the state. Nigeria is a huge country where a lot is taking place. Due to its size and importance the rulers of Nigeria are also obligated to give a good example, to the region, to the outside world. One cannot escape the conclusion that the Nigerian government, local and national leaders, fail to establish the rule of law. A leader who does not lead, who does not protect its people should no longer rule. This is the year 2020. (webmaster FVDK)

A community overwhelmed by cult, ritual killings

Published: January 16, 2020
By: New Telegraph Nigeria, Uchenna Inya (in Abakaliki)

The people of Elugwu Ettam, Okpoitumo in Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State are in state of worry, confusion and under siege. That is following the disappearances of some of their people. They are suspecting that cultists and ritual people may have taken over the community. 

In Elugwu-Ettam Okpoitumi, Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, the people don’t stay outside their various homes beyond 6pm of each day.

Once it is 6pm of every day, any indigene of the area who is not in his or her house, may not return to the house any more. Such  person may be declared missing in the community and may not been seen again.

Within seven years, no fewer than 10 persons in the community have been declared missing in suspected cult and ritual killings in the area.

Cultists have been having their ways in  the area,  killing and maiming  persons who are opposing their activities.

The people have searched for those who reportedly got missing in the community but to no avail. They have deployed every method including spiritual, traditional and legal means to know if the missing ones can be found and then forestall further occurrence.

Some of the people reportedly got missing around the Edukwu Agbalegu play ground in the community. One of them is the community announcer(town crier), John Igboji.

Igboji was abducted in the playground on March 2013 when he was making announcement in the community. He has not been seen till today neither has his corpse been found.

Igboji’s abduction, shocked his people and they have not recovered from the shock till today.  No one in the community has agreed to take

up his town crier duty  since his sudden disappearance from the area.

Another person in the area, Joseph Nwichi Alegu, is also missing. He had gone to the Edukwu Agbalegu playground in the evening to buy food condiments when he was waylaid on the way back to his house.

He has not been since also. The food condiments he went to buy were picked up by his people on the road. The incident occurred in June last year and the matter was reported to the police.

Since then, the community has been in disarray while his family members and  relatives are demanding his corpse if he has been killed.

Speaking to our Correspondent, Alegu’s widow, Christiana, lamented that since the disappearance of her husband, she finds it very difficult to cope and feed her children.

She said: “I and my four children have been suffering since they kidnapped and killed my husband, Joseph Nwichi Alegu. Things are very

difficult for us because we no longer have somebody to feed us a father. My husband was all and all for us. If they have killed him, they should release the corpse for us. He was last seen in our community in June last year.”

Another woman, Angelina Igboji,  whose husband also got missing said: “My husband was appointed town crier by the community. Our then village Chairman sent him to go and make an announcement for the community. They kidnapped and killed him. We have not seen him or his corpse till today. They should bring him alive or bring his corpse to us. I want my husband’s corpse if they have killed him.

“I am a peasant farmer. Feeding the seven children my husband left for me has been very difficult for me. I do all manner of menial jobs to feed my children.”

On his part, Emmanuel Igboji, a farmer and younger brother of John Igboji said: “John Igboji was my elder brother. On 29th March, 2013, he was sent on town announcement by our former village “Chairman. My brother got missing at our playground, Edukwu Agbalegu playground in front of one of our brother’s house. He got missing while carrying out the announcement duty sent to him by our former village.  After the announcement, he didn’t return again. We searched for him everywhere and we didn’t find him.

“Our then village Chairman ran to police and made report but one Cele Okah started querying that our former village Chairman why he went and reported the matter  to the police without informing him first. The then village Chairman replied him ‘who gave you the audacity to query me on my action, who are you in this community’? From there, Cele Okah started having problems with the community.

“I am not happy the way he got missing. He is the breadwinner of his family and he has seven children . Only the wife is struggling to feed the children. I have not recovered from the shock of his sudden disappearance from the community because we have spent a lot to know if we can see him but to no avail.”

The village Chairman, Eze Ejike Innocent, said over 10 persons have been lost in the area, lamenting that cultists and ritualists have taken over the area.

He called on Inspector-General of Police to intervene in the matter.

He alleged that some persons arrested in connection with the persistent missing of people of the community have been released by the police and are walking freely. He accused a prominent person in the area of sponsoring them.

A community leader in the area, who did not want his name in print for fear of being attacked, told New Telegraph that the people of the area had issues over the community’s land and that it sharply divided them into two groups.

He said although the matter was later resolved, those who were not happy the way it was settled, employed cultists and ritualists to undo the people, leading to disappearances of some people of the area.

He accused one Chief Celestine Okah whose wife is a Commissioner in the state of sponsoring cultists against some persons in the community who are not comfortable with his stand on issues in the area.

He said: “The only crisis I can talk of is the time the community decided to take over their resources from their age groups because formerly, it was being managed by the age groups and whoever that was not among the age groups had no access to the lands.

“But at a certain stage, the people interestingly and compromisingly agreed that the land should not belong to the age groups. Rather, it should be in the hands of the development union that will ensure that everybody has a share of the land.

“This incident somehow divided us into two opposing groups; one was the idea of the land be taken over by the community and the other one was for the idea that it should remain with the age groups and those that are doing these evil things in our community are those that are against the taking over of the land by the community just to make sure that they frustrate the efforts of those who have made sure that the people have access to portions of the land that they supposed to have.

“We have been so much embarrassed because of these ugly incidents like the one that happened in 2013. People were so surprised that it happened that way because up till now, it is difficult for anyone to volunteer himself to be the town announcer because of the incident of that particular man and nobody is happy about it and all our efforts to make sure that we unravel the circumstances behind his missing were futile because the perpetrators were bent on frustrating any group of persons that tried to know what actually happened.

“In the case of the one that happened in June last year in which Joseph Alegu got missing, it was a big blow on all of us because we never knew that could happen and the most ugly aspect of it is that this man got missing at the door gate of one our leaders and which we expected that the man could have spent his last card to ensure that Alegu was found but ever since it happened, he has been paying deaf ear on it and we are not happy.

“It has made the situation so worse that people don’t even send their children on errand. In fact, immediately it is 6pm, everybody will be indoor because of being afraid of being kidnapped and murdered and we are not happy. We want government to come into it to ensure that we are free because we are in bondage because of the activities of these evil ones.”

In his reaction, Chief Celestine Okah challenged  those who are insinuating that he is behind cultism and ritual killings in the community to come up with facts.

He said his accusers are jealous of his progress especially his wife being a commissioner in the state, alleging that he was being blackmailed by them.

“I am not known for any crime or offence. I am peaceful, a civil servant and I don’t know what they are talking about. I do also know that in life, you will have some people who will not admire you and that may be out of their personal interest but it is normal thing in the society.

“We are in border areas. We have common boundaries with some communities in Cross River State and there is no security in these places and you can know what it means to live in a border area. We are living in a very difficult place; no access road and nobody would have been sure of what is happening in our community”, he said.

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Loveth Odah, said a case of cultism in the community was reported to Ikwo Divisional police station and about six persons who said confessed to be members of Vikings confraternity were arrested for causing problems in the community.

“There are some people who are suspected to be cultists according to DPO Ikwo. He said those people are from Okpoitumo Ikwo and they confessed to be cultists and belonging to Vikings confraternity and that was all.

“If actually people have been missing as a result of ritual killings to the extent of up to 10 persons, that means the people of that area are not doing well because they have never reported the case of missing persons.

“Though so many persons are claiming that those cultists are ritualists but they are talking about 1985, 1986. So, by that time, the police that we have in Ebonyi State now have not come and myself has not joined police by that time. So, there is nothing like that. It’s a case of suspected cultism and we have arrested some of them.

“Case of cultism is not pardonable in Ebonyi. They are going to be charged to court as soon as investigation is concluded”, she said.

Source: A community overwhelmed by cult, ritual killings

Ebonyi State, Nigeria