Ritual murders for personal gain are common in Nigeria. A serial killer who admits having murdered several persons for ritualistic purposes is an exception.
A Nigerian man of 19 years old confessed he had killed at least six persons for ‘money business’. He was arrested but managed to escape….
In Nigeria, expect the unexpected (webmaster FVDK).
Shodipe: Alleged serial killer on the run
Protest in Ibadan as suspected serial killer escapes from police custody
Published: August 16, 2020 By: The News, Nigeria – Nehru Odeh
The Oyo State Police Command has confirmed that 19 year old suspected serial killer, Sunday Shodipe, who confessed to killing Barakat Bello, a female student of the Department of Science Laboratory Technology (SLT), Federal College of Animal Health, Production, Moor Plantation, Ibadan on 1 July 2020, has escaped from police custody.
This is coming against the backdrop of a protest which erupted at Ori-Oke Olurunkole in Akinyele Local Government area on Friday 14 August, 2020, following the ritual murder of a woman about the period Shodipe escaped.
Shodipe had confessed on Friday 17 July 2020, that he had killed no fewer than six persons for ritual purposes in different communities in that local government area of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
Though the serial killer escaped from police custody on Tuesday, 11, August, Commissioner of Police in the state, Joe Nwachukwu Enwonwu, only made it public on Sunday via a statement released by the Public Relations Officer of the command, Olugbenga Fadeyi.
“The Commissioner of Police, Oyo State Command, CP. Joe Nwachukwu Enwonwu, wishes to state that the prime suspect in the serial killings at Akinyele Local Government Area, Moniya Ibadan, one Sunday Shodipe ‘m’ 19 years, who was arrested and paraded along with two others on 17th July, 2020 and later charged to court but remanded in police custody escaped from lawful custody on 11/08/2020.
“Consequent upon this, the CP wishes to implore the general public to be on the lookout, arrest and immediately inform the officers and men of the command when sighted for immediate handing over for further action,” the statement reads.
He also appealed to members of the public with information as to Shodipe’s whereabouts to inform the Oyo State Police Command so that he can be apprehended.
The articles reproduced below show the perversity of ritual murders in Nigeria, usually for purposes of ‘money rituals’. Ritual murderers, who resort to human sacrifices to become rich or famous, are criminals, there is no doubt about it. What happens nowadays in Nigeria, and also in other Sub-Saharan countries where notably albino people are targeted, shows even a different kind of ritual murderers. They kill purely for material gain, to sell human body parts thus obtained. A repulsive practice, which in this case is based on the superstition of the buyer of the body parts. A crucial role is played by the ritualist or traditional doctor, the witch doctor, as is shown by the articles below. They should all be locked up, but – even more important – people should be educated that there is no place for superstition in the 21st century. (webmaster FVDK)
How I killed children, sold their body parts to ritualists – Suspect confesses
Published: July 3, 2020 By: Daily Post Nigeria – Fikayo Owololagba
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Oyo State Command, has arrested a 29-year-old, suspect over alleged kidnapping and murder.
The suspect was arrested after the police received a tip-off from commercial motorcycle riders around the area.
The command’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Olufemi Adetunji, disclosed this to newsmen on Friday, at the NIS office, Agodi-Gate, Ibadan, while handing over the suspect to the police command in the state.
The suspect whose identity was not revealed in an interview with NAN confessed that he was not only involved in duping, but also in kidnapping and selling of human parts to ritualists.
He confessed that he enticed children with biscuits on the streets and lured them into their cars.
The suspect, a resident of Beere, Oje area in Ibadan was a member of a gang of nine, comprised of two females and seven males that carry out operations.
He added that he had killed at least two children, and sold their parts to suspected ritualists.
“We have a car which we use for kidnapping. We buy biscuits and other things and keep them in the car, which we used to entice the children.
“Anytime we see little children walking on the road unaccompanied by an adult, we entice them with biscuits and quickly put them in the car and zoom off.
“We later kill the kidnapped children and sell their parts to the ritualists,” he added.
‘We kill children, sell their body parts’ – suspect confesses as he was arrested by Immigration officer
Published: July 3, 2020 By: Opera News
The Nigerian Immigration services has arrested a 29-year-old suspect, Lekan Raheem, for killing and selling children’s body parts to ritualists. After his arrest, the suspects confessed that his gang had killed some children and sold their body parts for ritual purposes. According to the suspect, the Ritualist require the body parts for ritual purposes.
The suspect made the confession to the Nigerian Immigration services after being interogated. After the confession, he was handed over to the police. According to the confessional statement of the suspect, him and his gang usually lure innocent children with biscuits and kidnapped them.
The suspect confessed that he was not only involved in duping people, but he also kidnapped, kill and selling human parts to ritualists. According to reports, the suspect lives at Oje area of Ibadan. The gang members includes 9 members including 2 females and 7 males.
The suspect went on to say that anytime his gang members see little children walking alone, they lure them with biscuits. The children are quickly dragged into their car and they quickly take them away. The Oyo State Nigerian Immigration services Public Relations Officer, Olufemi Adetunji disclosed that the suspect was arrested following a tip off by some people.
Akinyele killings: hunters arrest suspect with seven white handkerchiefs, dangerous weapons
Published: June 28, 2020 By: New Telegraph, Nigeria – Sola Adeyemo, Ibadan
Some local hunters in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, Sunday arrested one person, said to have confessed to the killing of eight persons, suspected to be in connection with incessant ritual killings in the Akinyele Local Government Area of the state.
New Telegraph learnt that seven white handkerchiefs and some dangerous weapons, such as a knife and an axe, were found in possession of the suspect.
The local hunters were said to have arrested the suspect at Liberty area of Sasa Sunday morning while watching over many communities in the local government as a result of the killings recent killings that have consumed five persons with a month.
He was taken to Sasa Police Station, and subsequently transferred to Ojoo Divisional Police Headquarters. The Police Public Relations Officer for the state, Olugbenga Fadeyi, confirmed the arrest, saying investigation would reveal his true identity and people that have been working with him to commit the crime.
One of the caretaker chairmen in Akinyele Local Government, who preferred anonymity, said: “Having profiled the suspect, he is from the Eastern part of the country, and he claims he attends a white garment church.”
Another resident said “While the suspect was being interrogated, he confessed that he had been involved in eight killings recently in the local government and his last killing was at Sasa area, where he said he murdered a lady.
“He has so far been handed over to the Nigeria Police for further investigation, while work is still ongoing to fish out other perpetrators.”
Nigeria ranks Number One in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) when it comes to ritual murders (locally referred to as ‘money rituals’) – and not only because this West African nation is SSA’s most populated country. Nevertheless, I was astonished reading about the number of recent ritual killings in some of Nigeria’s main cities. In Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State, in less than four weeks, beginning from June 1 of this year, at least five persons were savagely murdered by suspected ritual killers. One of the victims was a five-year old boy. Also in August 2019, ritual murders had been reported, with six victims within one month in the same Akinyele Local Government Area. Consequently, the population of Ibadan lives in fear, everyday, of becoming victim of the suspected ritual killers, despite the assurances of the police and governmental authorities and the attention of traditional rulers for these heinous crimes.
As one of the local chiefs stated: “The way the killers have been operating left me with no option than to believe that they are killing for money rituals.”
Warning: the following article contains graphic details (webmaster FVDK).
Ibadan – City of blood Fear, anxiety in Ibadan over ritual killings • Police, government assure residents
Published: June 27, 2020 By: The Sun, Voice of the Nation- Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
Ibadan is fast turning into a city of blood, no thanks to a yet-to-be-apprehended group of ritual killers that invaded the city recently and left in their wake a long trail of blood of victims. The affected local government district, Akinyele Local Government Area, is currently under a siege. In less than four weeks, beginning from June 1, 2020, at least, five persons had been killed by suspected ritual killers in different communities of the local government.
Understandably, the development has sent shivers down the spines of residents of one of the 11 local governments that makes up Ibadan, the state capital, and one of the 33 local government areas of the state. The local government, which has 12 wards, was created in 1976 and occupies a land area of 464.892 square kilometres with a population density of 516 persons per square kilometre.
Experts have said that using 3.2 per cent growth rate from 2006 National Population Census figures, the 2010 estimated population for the local government has been estimated to be 239,745. It hosts notable institutions including International Institute of Tropical Agricultural (IITA) at Idi-Ose; Nigeria Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER) at Ojoo, Federal School of Statistics at Ajibode Road; 2nd Division of the Nigerian Army and reasonable percentage of the University of Ibadan land.
A spate of mysterious killings
Since the first ritual killing that took place on June 1, 2020, at Akinyele town, the ritual killings have been consistent. The June 1 incident involved Miss Baraka Bello, a female student of the Department of Science Laboratory Technology (SLT), Federal College of Animal Health and Production, Moor Plantation, Ibadan. She was reportedly raped before being killed. The killers, operating in a way that is reminiscent of the infamous Badoo Boys, were said to have smashed her head at the back of her father’s house at Oloro area of Kara in Akinyele town.
On June 5, 2020, ritualists also smashed the head of 29-year-old woman, Mrs. Azeezat Somuyiwa, with a big stone, at Ijefun community, near Ojoo. She was said to be seven month pregnant at the time of killing.
On Saturday June 13, 2020, a National Diploma student of Oke Ogun Polytechnic, Saki, Oyo State, Grace Oshiagwu, 21, was raped and killed inside a church at Idi Ori, Sasa, Ojoo area of Ibadan.
On Monday, June 22, 2020, five-year-old boy, Mujib Tirimisiyu, was killed by ritual killers, who reportedly hit his head with a shovel at Olorunsogo Phase II, Tose, Moniya, Ibadan. He suffered the fate while he was allegedly defecating behind their house. His loud shout attracting the attention of his mother to rush to where he was defecating. On getting there, she saw some boys dragging his lifeless body into the bush. On sighting her, the attackers reportedly dropped the corpse and fled.
On Wednesday, June 24, 2020, the life of 42-year-old woman, Mrs. Olusayo Fagbemi, residing at Ajibade Street, Sasa, Ibadan, was cruelly cut short by ritual killers. She was allegedly attacked while she washed plates in front of her residence on that Wednesday morning. And, the assailants were said to have hit her on the head, with either a shovel or a cutlass.
On being hit with the weapon, she shouted. This made her husband to rush out from their room. On getting outside, he met his wife in a pool of her own blood. The attackers reportedly took to their heels the moment they sighted her husband and other alamed residents of the house, rushing out. The woman was said to have been rushed to a private hospital for medical attention to save her life. But unfortunately, she could not make it. She was confirmed as ‘brought in dead’ (BID) in the hospital.
Police reassure residents, amid fear
A climate of fear now exists among the natives as no one knows who could be the next victim or when detectives could crack open the conundrum of ritual killings ravaging the community and help bring rest to restless minds. A resident of Sasa, who agreed to speak on the promise of his name not being used in print, blamed suspected ritualists as being behind the incessant killings in the local government area.
“I don’t want my name to be mentioned because those evil people may be residing in the same community with us, and I don’t want them to zero in on my family,” he said. “I think communities should set up vigilance groups to address this ugly trend. Also, the security agencies and the state government should halt the incessant killings in this local government area.”
The Police Public Relations Officer in Oyo State, Olugbenga Fadeyi, who confirmed the death of the five persons, said the police, who he said, are already on the trail of the assailants, have already commenced investigations. Confirming the incident that occurred at about 5:40am on June 24, 2020, he said the deceased “was attacked right at the frontage of her house while she washed plates and she sustained injury on her head. At her shout, her husband rushed out and met her in the pool of her blood, while the assailant(s) ran away. She was rushed to a hospital where she was confirmed dead. Efforts are being intensified to apprehend the culprits as the Police is on their trail.”
Fadeyi who confirmed that some arrests have been made, assured that efforts are being made to nip the incessant killings in the bud. He explained that the Commissioner of Police in the state, Nwachukwu Enwonwu, and Special Adviser to Governor Seyi Makinde on Security, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, a former Commissioner of Police in Lagos and Benue States, had visited Akinyele and have been working assiduously to arrest the situation.
Speculations on the cause of killings
Meanwhile, some residents of the local governments have accused some landlords and village heads (Baales) of either letting their houses or selling their land to suspected ‘Yahoo Boys’ or ‘Badoo Boys’ who have in turn been decided to terrorize the local government. A middle-aged man, who did not want his name mentioned in print said he warned many of the village heads then, but they did not heed his words because of pecuniary purpose.
This correspondent had, in August 2019, exclusively reported two stories in the Daily Sun, about how ritual killers resurfaced in Ibadan, after a similar development was nipped in the bud at Ikorodu in Lagos. It was reported then that at least six persons were dispatched to their early graves within one month. They killed all the six victims then in the same Akinyele Local Government.
Then, the first reported incident occurred at Abatakan, near Ojoo where four persons were said to have been killed. The second and third reported cases happened at Fatokun in Moniya and Olomowewe in Akingbile, on Saturday August 24, 2019. One person each were reportedly killed in the two places. The three incidents followed the same pattern as the assailants, operating like the Badoo Boys that once terrorized Ikorodu, Lagos, were said to have struck their targets at about 10 a.m. The killers, it was gathered, used grinding stones to smash the heads of their victims, and handkerchiefs to wipe their blood before taking their leave, without stealing anything from their victims.
Lawmaker’s advice on how to stay safe
The recent resurgence has filled the residents with déjà vu. Their leaders assure that this time around they are up in arms. Chairman, Oyo State House of Assembly Parliamentary Council, Ayotunde Fatokun, and the member representing Akinyele Constituency I, told Saturday Sun: “On the issue of ritual killings in Akinyele Local Government, we are trying to do a number of things to ensure that the phenomenon is curbed. In terms of security, we appreciate Governor Seyi Makinde for his efforts and for moving the Special Adviser on Security to the local government to see things for himself and have a first-hand view of what is going on there.
“Many arrests have been made in the last couple of weeks on the incessant killings. But the new killings have shown to us that there are more than one group involved. And efforts are ongoing to ensure that we bring the perpetrators of the evil to book. Most importantly, one major concern as the lawmaker representing the constituency is to enlighten my people on basic security tips and steps they should take to ensure that we are able to curb this menace in no time. Of course, I will like to advise people that they should stop staying outside alone and that they should ensure that they are in company of somebody to guide against eventualities.
“For houses that are close to the bush, we should clear the bushes in order to make it uneasy for these perpetrators of evil to get in and out of residences of people, and also make it uneasy for them to run away. If you are inside the house, let us ensure that we lock our doors. If we notice anything, let us make calls so that something can be done. You may need to shout for your neighbours to come to your aid. If you are able to reach your phone, you can call the 615 Emergency Number of Oyo State, so that security agencies can attend to you promptly.”
Traditional rulers speak on security measures
Speaking on the scary insecurity issue, Alakinyele of Akinyele, Oba James Odeniran, in a chat with Saturday Sun, said: “I must confess to you that we have to subscribe to the fact that the people that are committing the crime are living within our local government. That is why as one of the steps being taken, we have resolved that the issue of landlords and tenants relations should be taken into consideration. At the landlord association’s level, they should be able to know where their tenants come from, the jobs they are doing, know whether they have means of livelihood and know if they are working.
“Also, based on the name of the name of this council, people have found it difficult to differentiate between Akinyele Local Government Area and Akinyele town, with regard to the incessant killings in the area. I want to say it categorically here that apart from that of Barakat Bello, all other incidents were not from Akinyele town. As a result of these incidents, people are now afraid of coming to Akinyele town. I want to say to the whole world that there is relative peace in Akinyele town now. We have taken some steps when the incident of Barakat occurred to ensure adequate security in Akinyele town.”
The Oniroko of Iroko, Oba Olasunkanmi Abioye, believes that if the ritual killings have something to do with the alleged sale of land to the so-called Yahoo Boys, it is not so in his domain. “As far as my own town is concerned, there is no land that was sold to ‘Yahoo Boys,” he said. “But these developing areas like Moniya and Ojoo, if you get there, you would find ‘Yahoo boys’ there. The way they behave and the amount they pay to rent houses in those areas is something else. They can rent a flat for N450,000 per year. Is the money available in circulation like that?
“On this development, we should warn landlords and the Baales about accommodating these people in their houses and communities. The baales and Kabiyesis should be vigilant. They should not sit in their houses or palaces without taking actions. They should go round their domains and get people that should be giving them information about their domains. They should not sit down and expect people to come to them and give them envelopes, and many things. What we need in Akinyele Local Government now is to watch out for those ‘Yahoo Boys’ because they are too many in our local government areas now.”
One of the village heads in the local government, the Alagbagi of Agbagi, Chief Babatunde Fabunmi, said he did not believe that the people perpetrating the evil are ‘Yahoo Boys,’ who bought land from Baales. “The baales could have sold land to people, irrespective of whether you hail from this local government or this state or not,” he said. “To fish out the killers, we should not focus only on those we sold our land to. The evil people could also be among our own people from this local government. God is the only ultimate judge.
“The way the killers have been operating left me with no option than to believe that they are killing for money rituals. They would use dangerous objects to break the heads of their victims and would use white handkerchiefs to collect their blood and run away with it. I must tell you that in our different communities, we have put strong security measures in place, with the support of the government. I can tell you that in Ikereku area now, the government has beefed up the presence of security personnel there. If you are passing through Ikereku now, no matter your personality, the security agents would stop you and do thorough search of your vehicle before they allow you to go.”
LG chairman thanks Gov. Makinde
The Chairman, Akinyele Local Government, Toaoheed Adedigba-Jimoh, thanked Governor Makinde, for his continuous support. “The support that we need to overcome this menace in Akinyele Local Government, he is ready to give us,” he said. “He has directed his Special Adviser on Security, and relevant security commanders in the state to visit this local government.
“They have allowed us to incorporate community policing into the security architecture of our local government. They include hunters, Soludero Hunters Associaton, members of Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) and local vigilance group. So, we are using all security means to overcome this challenge.
It’s no surprise to me to read that ritual killings in Nigeria – usually referred to as ‘money rituals’ – are rampant and on the increase. I frequently report on these crimes in Africa’s most populated country. Esther Onyegbula, the author of the article below expresses her disgust while presenting a frightening number of ritualistic murder cases, some of which have been reported earlier on this site.
Her article makes it clear that ritual murders are a plague in Nigeria, in virtually every corner of the country, but notably in the western and eastern states. Moreover, after reading her story, one is convinced that even though in some cases the authorities uphold the rule of law, in many cases the police fail to apprehend the perpetrators of these heinous acts.
Isn’t it time to wage a full-scale war against the criminals who slaughter innocent citizens in order to gain wealth or prestige, and against ignorance, the root cause of all superstition? (webmaster FVDK)
Weird world of money ritualists
Published: February 3, 2020 By: Vanguard Nigeria – Esther Onjegbula
In the last two years, ritual killings have been on the increase.
Although ritual crimes cut across almost all regions in the country, they are more pronounced in western and eastern states of Nigeria.
Every week, there are reports of one ritual killing or the other.
Some suspects are arrested and prosecuted while others arrested are not prosecuted as investigations are marred by lack of evidence or police compromise.
Last month, newspapers were awash with reports of how Favour Daley-Oladele, a final year student of Lagos State University, LASU, who went missing on December 8, 2019, was killed allegedly by her boyfriend, Adeeko Owolabi, who was said to have connived with a self-acclaimed pastor, for ritual purpose in Osun State.
Owolabi and his mother allegedly engaged ‘Pastor’ Segun Philips to end Favour’s life in a gruesome manner. The boyfriend allegedly tricked the victim from Lagos to Ikoyi-Ile, Osun State with the promise that he wanted her to meet his parents to approve their relationship.
But unknown to Favour, she was on her last journey on earth as she was led to the church where her head was smashed with a pestle allegedly by Owolabi and butchered by the ‘pastor’, who later removed her vital parts for money ritual.
Narrating how he killed the victim, Owolabi said, “I lured the deceased to Ikoyi-Ile and lodged her in a hotel before killing her. After I lodged her in a guest house, I took her to a house which I claimed to be my uncle’s house, but knowing that the place was a den of ritualists. “I smashed a pestle on her head and she collapsed. The prophet thereafter used a knife and cutlass to dismember her body which was divided into breasts, head and legs and other vital parts. “We buried the remaining parts of her body beside Prophet Philip’s Church called ‘Solution Salvation Chapel’, while some vital parts were given to my mother to eat for spiritual cleansing”.
Owolabi isn’t the first young man who has been arrested for killing his lover in recent past. In 2018, Seidu Adeyemi killed and buried his girlfriend, Khadijat Oluboyo, the daughter of a former Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Mr Lasisi Oluboyo. Adeyemi murdered Khadijat, a student of Adekunle Ajasin University, after inviting her to his house in July 2018. After the killing, Adeyemi buried the deceased in his room for five days before he was exposed by his father who reported to the police.
At Ologbo, Ikpoba Okha local government area of Edo State in November 2018, a teenager, Akpobome Samuel, allegedly strangled his mother to death and had sex with her corpse for ritual.
According to Samuel, who was paraded by the police, “I acted on the instructions of a witch doctor who I contracted for money ritual. “The voodoo doctor told me that after killing my mother, I should sleep with her corpse in order to get rich. “That is why I complied with his instruction and killed her. “I was caught by my grandmother who came to knock on the door having waited patiently for my mother to accompany her to church. She caught me having sex with my mother. “The native doctor told me to kill my mother and sleep with her corpse, but he did not tell me the number of days to sleep with her. “He told me to keep her dead body inside the room for two days but I was caught when I could no longer keep it.
“I did not know that my grandmother was sitting outside. She opened the door and sighted me on the corpse inside the room and raised the alarm that drew the attention of neighbours. “My mother did not offend me. I killed her because of money”.
Apart from people using their loved ones for ritual, there are instances where innocent persons have been used for ritual purposes by people they didn’t know.
Recently, there was an allegation by some residents of Kwara State that some policemen in Adewole Police Division, Ilorin had been selling suspects detained at the station to ritual killers for N 80, 000 per person. Although the state Commissioner of Police, Lawan Ado, said the allegation was false, the state Police Command redeployed policemen at the station. Ado added that no one had come forward with information to indict any police officer at the station for selling suspects to ritual killers. “But we have been redeploying the policemen there. More than half of them have now been transferred and, soon, the other half will be redeployed so that even if there is anybody who is involved – which no information has established – we will at least remove him from the area.”
But a frightening dimension was recorded in suspected cases of ritual killing in Ilorin last year when commercial motorcycle operators allegedly became targets of alleged ritualists. Motorcyclists were said to have been lured into the Government Reservation Area (GRA) of the town by ritualists posing as passengers only to be mowed down by members of the group.
Apart from the commercial motorcyclists, no fewer than six women were killed by suspected ritualists in the area and their breasts removed.
In July 2019, a young man was caught at Corporation Estate, Mile 12, Lagos after he allegedly murdered a commercial sex worker and removed her private part.
Back to Ondo State, the killing of an 80-year-old woman, Mrs. Kojusola Mogaji, in Arigidi-Akoko, created panic in the community. It incident got so scary so much so that Oba Yisa Olanipekun and the entire community embarked on interdenominational prayers and fasting, traditional rites while a vigilante group was raised to unravel ritual killings in the area.
Even the dead are not spared
It is not only the living that are gruesomely murdered and body parts harvested for ritual; the dead are also not allowed to rest in their graves as suspected ritual killers and skull miners exhume remains of dead people which are prepared for ritual.
Three young men, who were arrested by the Oyo State Police Command for being in possession of fresh human parts, confessed that their unbridled desires to get rich quick prompted them to get the body parts for money ritual.
The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Abiodun Odude, said the suspects were arrested after a tip-off by a member of the public. Odude added that the suspects confessed to have removed the body parts from corpses at a Muslim cemetery in Isale General Area of Ogbomoso.
One of the suspects claimed this was his first attempt at using human parts for money ritual.
Another said: “We went to Isale General at Ogbomoso to exhume the bodies at about 8p.m. On our way back, two inquisitive boys, who accosted us on the road, demanded to know where the offensive odour was from. “We tried to deceive them, but they were insistent. So we had to run. They caught one of us before the police arrested us at our homes. “We wanted to use the parts for money ritual. If we had succeeded in taking the corpses to our place, we would have dried and burnt them. “After burning the parts, we will grind the same to powdery substance and mix some of it with soap to take our bath in the morning and to take pap at night. “After we would have done this, some weird creatures, who we generally call demons, will bring money to us — usually at night.”
In another case reported in November 2019, a cemetery vault builder, Kazim Olarewaju, who worked at Okesuna Cemetery, Adeniji Adele area of Lagos island, revealed that he sold two human skulls for N12, 000. Olarewaju, who was arrested by policemen attached to Adeniji Adele Division, alongside two other suspects, Muritala Salami and Amidu Kazeem, explained that this was the second time he was trading in human parts.
Narrating how he got involved in the act, Olarenwaju said, “I work at Okesuna Cemetery. In September, Mr Muritala Salami and his relatives came to the cemetery to bury a relative. “After the burial, he said I should help him to get a biscuit. I told him I didn’t know what he was talking about. He said it was a human skull. “I told him immediately I couldn’t. He collected my telephone number and left but continued to call me till I bulged. “Initially, I asked him to come to the cemetery and take it himself. When he came, I helped him to take the bag outside the cemetery gate so that security guards won’t suspect anything. “The first time he paid me 12,000 for two skulls. “Last week he called me again and I told him to steer clear but he kept threatening me till I agreed to help him get two more human skulls. “It was while I was taking delivery of his order that I was arrested by the police.” Explaining further, Kasim said, “I started working at the cemetery two years ago and I have never been involved in a thing like this before I met Muritala”.
Explaining what he was doing with human skulls, Salami, who said he was a dealer in herbal preparation, said he used them to make charms to enable him get more clients. “I grind the dried human skulls, mix it with pepper and take it with local gin first thing in the morning. Before I began to do this, I was making about N30, 000 daily but afterwards I began to make between N80,000 and N100,000”
Confirming the arrest, spokesperson for Lagos State Police Command, DSP Bala Elkana, said the investigation was ongoing and that the suspects will be charged to court.
From the foregoing, it would appear that native doctors, fake pastors, Muslim clerics and cemetery workers usually work with suspects in the business of ritual killing.
Worried by the spate of ritual killings and bodies’ exhumation from graveyards, then-Assistant Inspector General of Police in Charge of Zone 2, AIG Lawal Shehu, declared war on native doctors and human parts’ dealers in Lagos and Ogun states. Shehu said each time suspects were apprehended, they usually claimed they were herbalists, adding that some native doctors were aiding and abating the practice. He made the declaration after four suspects, identified as Lukmon Bayewunmi, Kabir Badmus, Victor Nnacheta and Nurudeen Sogaolu, were arrested with dried human jaw and scalp.
Compromise
Meanwhile, the police have been accused of compromise on some cases of ritual killing.
For instance during the tenure of CP Imohimi Edgal as Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, precisely in August 2018, two suspected ritualists, Folake Falade and Emmanuel Gbenga were arrested under the Cele Nicer Bridge, Ijanikin, by the police.
Folake, who was almost lynched by an irate mob, said she had been there (Cele Nicer Bridge) for nine years and that her business was to sell human parts to ready buyers. She said her customers usually parked on the bridge at night with their vehicles bonnets opened, pretending that their vehicles had one fault or the other, but unknown to people that they were waiting to buy human parts. According to her, her boys would be beneath the vehicles pretending to be carrying out repairs to douse any suspicion and, in the process, hand over nylon bags containing human parts to the clients.
A resident, Lawrence Oke, claimed that Folake revealed that “whenever she failed to find preys to meet the demands of clients, she would dress seductively and head to a nearby hotel at night”. Oke went on, “Any man that picked her for the night would become prey as he would end up in her den where his body parts would be harvested and sold off to waiting clients.”
The resident further narrated that Folake confessed that she had boys that worked for her.
He added, “She said that once her hands touched someone, that person would lose his senses and follow her sheepishly.”
However, despite what many believed was compelling evidence against the suspect and initial police stand, nothing was heard about the case after the arrest.
Meanwhile, the belief that invoking spirits or demons can bring cash after performing some rituals obviously is what is fuelling ritual killings in parts of the country.
Sunday Vanguard spoke to some of those who should know in this special report.
An Iyaganku Chief Magistrates’ Court in Ibadan, yesterday ordered that four men accused of strangling a woman to death be remanded in Agodi Prison, pending legal advice. The Chief Magistrate, Emmanuel Idowu, who did not take the pleas of Dotun Ogunlade, 24; Mutiu Ayorinde, 32; Samuel Ayorinde, 34; and Kehinde Imole, 27, ordered the police to return the case file to the Oyo State Directorate of Public Prosecutions ( DPP).
Idowu, thereafter, adjourned the case until July 23, for mention. The prosecutor, ASP Amos Adewale, told the court that the defendants allegedly conspired to commit the offence. Adewale said: “On May 29, at 10:00p.m., Ogunlade, Ayorinde and Imole allegedly caused the death of Mrs. Bosede Oguntunde, aged 25, by strangling her to death.
“The deceased, a married woman from Ilorin, was alleged to have been a Facebook friend to Ogunlade, a prophet, who invited her to his Igboora residence over her marital problem. On her arrival at Ogunlade’s residence, he allegedly gave her an overdose of sleeping drugs and strangulated her to death; and later cut off her head, two hands and burnt them for money ritual,” said Adewale.
Published: May 11, 2019 By: Punch Nigeria – Bola Bamigbola, Osogbo
The Osun State Police Command has paraded an ex-convict, Adeoye Sina, for allegedly killing a pastor of a Cherubim and Seraphim church in Ibadan, Oyo State, identified as Emmanuel Ogedengbe.
Also paraded alongside Adeyeye were Bakare Fatai and Bolanle Soladoye.
The state Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Ige, while briefing journalists about the suspects said Adeoye, who had served two years’ jail term for being in possession of human wrists, connived with five others to kill Ogedengbe.
The CP said the suspect claimed that the pastor was his client.
Ige explained that Ogedengbe and his friend, Sola Adebayo, came from Ibadan on Sunday, May 5 to meet Adeoye, an herbalist, in Oba Ile – a town in the Olorunda Local Government Area of Osun State.
The CP said after eating a concoction prepared by the herbalist, Ogedengbe became weak and was later killed by some men working with Adeoye.
Explaining what happened on the day, Adebayo, who drove Ogedengbe from Ibadan to Osogbo, said upon their arrival in Osun State, Ogedengbe told him that the herbalist could also help him with ritual to boost his business.
Adebayo said he declined the offer, adding that Ogedengbe later left with some men for an unknown place, saying he became suspicious when the clergy did not return several hours later.
He stated, “I called Pastor Ogedengbe several times, but he didn’t answer his calls. Adeoye advised me to carry the ritual prepared for me and follow him to where the pastor went to, but I said no. He put me on a motorcycle and asked someone to follow me there but I told them I was not interested.
“When I returned to Adeoye’s house, he was not happy and he ordered one of his workers to follow me to where I would eat the concoction. He collected my car key when we got to his house. I lied to him that I wanted to go and eat and he returned my car key.
“That was how I managed to escape but the man he told to watch over me told him when I escaped with my vehicle. Three motorcycles were on my trail to Osogbo. They gave me a hot chase but I managed to escape.”
Responding to questions from journalists, the prime suspect, Adeoye, who claimed to be an herbalist and farmer, denied asking his men to kill Ogedengbe.
He said Ogedengbe had approached him for help because there were no longer worshippers in his church.
He said, “I have known Ogedengbe for about seven years. He came to me for help because his church was not doing well. He lost his balance after he ate the ritual I prepared for him and drank a bottle of gin in compliance with my directive.
“One of the boys I asked to follow him to the river where he would have a bath suddenly brought out a machete and severed his head. I didn’t ask them to kill him.”
One of the suspects, Bakare Fatai, who was with Ogedengbe when he was killed, said when the pastor became unconscious after taking the ritual, Adeoye instructed him and Ahmed Omonla, who is at large, to kill the pastor.
“I was looking for money to pay my thrift when Adeyeye called me to accompany the pastor to where he would eat the ritual. After the pastor finished eating the ritual, he drank the gin and became weak. Adeoye called us that we should kill him. It was Ahmed Omonla that killed him with a machete,” Bakare said.
He said Ogedengbe had approached him for help because there were no longer worshippers in his church.
The third suspect, Bolanle Soladoye, said he did not know about the crime, but was only relaxing in front of Adeyeye’s house when the incident happened.
The CP said three more suspects, who participated in the crime had yet to be apprehended, adding that all the suspects would be arraigned after investigation.
A mob yesterday lynched a suspected ritualist at Akenfa, a suburb of Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.
He was reportedly caught while trying to cut the body of a young woman he was accused of killing.
It was gathered that the woman, identified as Best, an indigene of Epie, was killed by the suspect.
The community has come under attack by ritualists, who kill women and remove their body parts.
Sources said the suspect threatened to attack the mob with an axe when he was caught, but he was overpowered and burnt to death.
The Nation learnt that the man pretended to be mentally-deranged during the day, but turned to a killer at night.
A source, who spoke in confidence, said: “That was the man that had been killing women at Akenfa. They caught him once when he was trying to kill another woman. I think that was last month. They beat him up but did not hand him over to the police.
“He said he would still kill. This morning, he killed one Epie woman. They caught him when he was killing the woman with an axe. That was the third woman he had killed so far.”
Confirming the incident, police spokesman Asinim Butswat said the suspected ritualist and the women he killed were mentally deranged.
A human rights activist and gender advocate, Princess Elizabeth Egbe, lamented the spate of ritual killings in the community.
She said: “There have been a lot of killings at Akenfa recently. The victims were mainly women. The killers always remove parts such as breast, brain, private parts, eyes, etc. They also remove panties and bra.
“As a human rights activist/gender advocate, I strongly condemn these killings and call on the perpetrators to desist from this barbaric, inhuman and ungodly act. It is violence against women.
There was outrage in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, yesterday following the murder of some corps members by cultists.
It was gathered that the cultists stormed the corps members’ residence on School Road in Swali and shot three of them.
Two were confirmed dead at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Yenagoa, and the third is receiving treatment at the hospital.
The victims were Popoola Oluwatobi Olamide (30), a graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) and an indigene of Oyo State; George Onokpoma and Gbenga Dada.
Olamide reportedly died on the spot. Onokpoma died at the FMC. Dada was said to be receiving treatment at the hospital. Their room was riddled with bullets and there were blood stains on the floor.
Residents lampooned the security agencies for their inability to tame the rampaging gunmen. They wondered how a small town like Yenagoa, with headquarters of the 16 Brigade of the Army, Central Naval Command, Mobility Command of the Air Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Joint Task Force, Operation Delta Safe (ODS), the police, Department of State Security (DSS) and other security outfits could be overrun by cultists.
A resident said the hoodlums, about seven, attacked the corps members’residence about 9pm.
He said: “We heard gunshots from the direction of the corps members’ room. One of them was screaming repeatedly and asking what their offence was. Another gunshot sounded and there was silence.”
Another neighbour added that the victims were marking examination scripts when the gunmen barricaded the building.
“We are saddened by this incident. The deceased were quiet and easy-going individuals. They hardly kept late night. They were always sitting at their doorpost whenever there was power outage,” he said.
Angry reactions have trailed the general insecurity in Yenagoa, and the murder of the corps members. Most residents questioned the essence of having many security outfits in the capital city.
An eyewitness, who identified himself as David, said he saw the bodies and wondered why insecurity had been allowed to degenerate.
He said: “What is Yenagoa turning into? The level of insecurity is alarming. Two Youth Corps members killed this night at Swalli community by suspected robbers.
“When I saw the bodies at the Federal Medical Center, I was troubled in my spirit. What will become of their parents who have spent hard resources to send them to school only to lose them while serving their fatherland, the land that doesn’t have faith in the ability of the youths?”
Another resident, Fawe, lamented that Yenagoa had become notorious for unpleasant and criminal incidents. He blamed political actors for the development.
He said: “Unpleasant news every day in Yenagoa. A minimum of two security personnel to the least political appointee while the citizens share one incompetently trained and underfed policeman to a whole street, or none at all.
“Those who call the shots live in well guarded environments and go about in bullet proof cars purchased with taxpayers’ money.
“Yenagoa is not bigger than Ada George Road in Port Harcourt. It’s the worst thing to lose a child. Now what will be of the parents of the deceased?”
It was gathered that Commissioner of Police Olusholla David visited the State Secretariat of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and met with the State Director, Mrs. Lotto Bolade.
David assured the NYSC of a rejigged security strategy to ensure the safety of corps members.
The police boss promised to brief Governor Seriake Dickson on the incident.
He said: “No one will hear the incident and not be shocked. The corps members may be scared but I assure them there will be improved security under my watch.”
A statement by the police spokesman, Butswat Asinim, said the police had launched a manhunt for the fleeing cultists.
The statement reads: “On 20 March, about 22:00hours, about seven robbers attacked the residence of Jerry Yeseme Moses ‘M’, proprietor of a school at Swalli Yenagoa.
“The robbers killed one corps member, Oluwatobi Popoola (30), and shot two others – George Onokpoma (M) and Anthony Gbenga Dada. The victims were rushed to the Federal Medical Centre in Yenagoa where George Onokpoma was confirmed dead, while Anthony Gbenga is responding to treatment.
“The command has launched a manhunt for the gunmen and investigation is ongoing.”
Angry mob on Thursday lynched a suspected ritualist at Akenfa a suburb of Yenagoa, the Bayelsa state capital.
He was reportedly caught red-handed while trying to cut the body of a young lady he was accused of killing by the mob.
It was gathered that the young lady identified as Best, an indigene of Epie, was hit and killed by the suspect.
The community has come under attack by ritualists who kill women and harvest their vital body parts.
Sources said the suspect threatened to attack the mob with an axe when he was caught but that he was later overpowered and burnt to death.
It was gathered that the man pretended to be mad during the day but turned to a killer at night.
One of the sources who spoke in confidence said: “That’s the guy that has been killing women at Akenfa. They caught him once when he was trying to kill another woman, I think that was last month, they beat him up but did not hand him over to the police.
“He was still saying he will kill. This morning he killed one Epie girl, they caught him when he was trying to butcher her with an axe. This is the third women he has killed so far”.
Confirming the incident, the Bayelsa Police Spokesman, Asinim Butswat, said both the suspected ritualist and murdered woman were known to be mentally sick.
A human rights activist and gender advocate, Princess Elizabeth Egbe, lamented the spate of ritual killings in the community.
She said: ” There has been a lot of killings at Akenfa recently, mainly women. They always remove parts of the body, breast, brain, virgina, eyes and pants and bra.
“As a Human Rights Activist/Gender Advocate, I strongly condemn these killings and call on the perpetrators to desist from this barbaric, inhuman, ungodly act and violence against women.
“We, therefore, call on government at all levels to beef up security to stop further reoccurrence of these cases that have become a menace in our society.
“This is serious violence against women and I call on all women to lend their voices to condemn these crimes because it’s crime against all women”.
Published: March 9, 2019 By: Ebele Boniface – The Nation
The operatives of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu’s Intelligence Response Team (IRT) in Ogun State, have arrested a 37-year-old herbalist, Libaq Alabade, for allegedly using human parts to do money rituals.
Some of the human parts recovered from the suspect include a severed human leg, which the IRT detectives preserved in kerosene in a plastic container, to prevent decay.
Following a tip off by an undisclosed source, that a certain herbalist in Ajuwon community in Ifo, Ogun State, was allegedly using human parts for herbal medicine, including money rituals, the leader of the IRT team in Abuja, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Abba Kyari, ordered the Ogun State IRT coordinator, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Babalola Adekunle, to fish him out.
Adekunle subsequently led a team of detectives to arrest the herbalist in the house he built for his late wife in Ajunwon, Ifo, on February 15.
During the mission, the team recovered human parts, including the severed leg of a female and male said to have been used for money rituals.
Further findings revealed that Alabade owns many houses in the community, some of which are littered with shallow graves, from where he allegedly exhumes corpses to extract preferred human parts for ritual purposes.
Reacting to his arrest, the suspect, however, maintained that he was innocent. He said: “This is a total set up by my known enemy, a fellow herbalist, named Segun. He had once told me that he would deal with me for exposing him to the police.
“I was doing security work as an OPC member. I used to help police to identify some of these dangerous elements in our society. Even in our association meetings, I used to emphasise these problems.
“Segun told me that he would show me for helping the police to arrest him. Yes, I used to inform the police of their atrocities because I cherish a decent society and I have value for human lives. He just set me up.
“I was arrested for killing people for rituals. I have not killed anybody. We have two graves in my compound. I have seven wives. Three died. I have five children.
“My work is simple; I have medicine for ‘manpower’, that can make a man ‘strong’ for 30 minutes of sex. One goes for N2,000 – N2,500.
“Let me advise the police. To reduce using human parts for rituals in Ogun State, they(police) should kill any suspect found with human parts after investigation had proved that the suspect really committed the offence or has the intention to commit.
“It is true that people are wickedly murdered for money rituals but I do not do it. I was set up by my follow herbalist because I reported him to the police.”
Sources within the police revealed that the suspect will be charged to court as soon as investigations are completed.
Related article: Herbalist in soup …. Over human parts found in his house – Explains why they demand women’s pants
Herbalist Libaq Alabede is battling to convince the police he knew nothing about the fresh human body parts found in his house at 14, Glover Lane, Ajowa Estate, Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State.
The incriminating piece of evidence––discovered by operatives of Inspector General of Police, Intelligence Response Team (IRT) who stormed his houses with a search warrant––was a nylon bag containing among other things fresh human parts. The exhibit was found in one of the shops attached to his building.
Alabede, 37, is currently facing the damning allegation that he plundered fresh graves, exhuming buried bodies and removing their parts for ritual purposes. He is also accused of having sold parts of his late wife’s body to his customers.
I was framed up
Alabede had no better defence other than to claim that his enemy framed him. “Police should go and arrest the likes of Segun, that man is a confirmed ritualist,” he said. “Go to my family house in Oyo, you will confirm that I am a good herbalist that will never get involved in anything evil.”
The native of Shepete in Oyo State was born and bred in Ogun State, where he attended an Arabic school in Ifo and learnt to become a herbal doctor.
He explained his area of specialization: “I learnt how to use herbs to heal all kinds of disease, especially sexually transmitted disease. I also learnt how to invoke good luck on the lives of people especially businessmen and women. I have helped a lot of women who cannot conceive to become mothers and men who were once sterile to be able to impregnate women with ease. It is a gift and that is how I made my money.”
On his allegation of a setup, Alabede attributed it to revenge by his enemies for his cooperation with the police. “I am one of the best herbalists in this Ifo area and also a member of OPC. It is part of our responsibility to make sure that the area is safe. I normally assist the police to arrest miscreants in our area especially our members who are into ritual killing.”
He alleged that a certain Segun was one of those arrested severally by the police, and upon his recent release from prison, had “threatened to deal with me for telling the police of his activities.”
As far as he was concerned, he could see the hand of his nemesis in his current plight. “I had gone to one of my houses where I buried my late wife and police came there and arrested me. They searched the house and discovered human parts in nylon in one of the shops and they concluded that it belongs to me. I am 100 per cent sure that he (Segun) was the one who planted the fresh body parts there for the police to find. I was framed because I do not participate in such an act. I cannot tell police about people who commit such crime and still turn around to commit the same crime,” he said.
When asked why the grave of his late wife was tampered with, Alabade responded thus: “It is a taboo for a herbalist to see the body of his late wife. When she died, my people decided to bury her in that property because I specifically constructed it for her. She was living in that house before she became very sick. The part of the land where they buried her is soft, that is why whenever you come here, it will seem as if someone tampered with her grave, but I assure you that if you dig up her corpse and discover that it was tampered with then be rest assure that one of the evil men visited her grave.”
As for his presence on the property, he claimed he was planning to rent out the shops “since it’s almost a year after her death.”
Why missing pants
When confronted with the prevalence of women pants use for ritual purposes, Alabade avowing that “I am not one of them” insisted that women underwear is normally used to produce love medicine and not for money ritual.
“When the issue became very common, we discussed it in our general meeting and members were warned to desist from such. Normally underwear is used by some herbalists to prepare love medicine.”
He attributed the upsurge in stolen panties to desperate Yahoo Yahoo boys. “It is because of the so much money that they are making from that business that is why our colleagues (herbalists) request for more money and abnormal things. Have you seen any woman run mad or die mysteriously after she lost her pant? We only use pants to produce love medicine, not money ritual.
“I do not need to kill someone to become rich as a herbalist. If you accuse me of selling potent manpower medicine, I will say that I am guilty as charged. I am an expert in that field and that is why I am so popular in these areas.”
He claimed he made his money by concentrating on herbs that make women pregnant. “A lot of them will come and pay heavily. This was how I managed to build so many houses and marry seven wives.”
He further reiterated his innocence by pointing out the odd angle to his ordeal. “If I am a ritualist, I cannot keep such sensitive material in my house or land. I will restrict it to the shrine area, which should be located in the bush where security men cannot come and suddenly search without informing me ahead of the search. I am innocent, police should go and arrest Segun, he is a ritualist and should explain to the police where he got those fresh body parts.”
Published: November 10, 2018 – 2:25 AM
By: Nathaniel Bivan (Abuja) & Itodo Daniel Sule (Lokoja) Ritual killings and trade in body parts is one crime that has refused to go away in Nigeria. So far, not less than 55 suspects have been arrested in the past one year for human parts-related crimes in states such as Kebbi, Oyo, Kwara, Osun, Lagos, Ogun, Kogi and Nasarawa.
One of the most recent took place in Nasarawa State, where three men were arrested by the Nasarawa State Police Command for allegedly being in possession of human parts. They were reported to have, on November 1, exhumed a freshly buried corpse from a cemetery at Mararaban-Akunza and chopped off an arm.
Then in Ankpa LGA of Kogi State, neighbouring communities have had long-drawn cases of abductions, ritual killings, harvests of human parts, deadly cult activities and gruesome murders. Alarmed, some locals lodged complaints to the police. After months of discreet investigations, the Inspector General of Police Special Tactical Squad first busted a 10-man gang that allegedly specialized in selling human parts, also responsible for various crimes perpetrated in Ankpa and environs sometime in September 2018.
The kingpin of the gang, 39-year-old Yakubu Hamidu, had prior to their arrest held positions of Secretary of the Local Vigilante Group for five years and was its chairman for one year in Ankpa LGA where he hails from.
Hamidu told the police that in his capacity as leader of the vigilantes, he had access to arms and ammunitions with which he hunted down victims for human parts, especially male and female private organs. He also revealed how they killed four local vigilante men and a police officer in Ofu LGA during one of their operations.
But following the mop-up of arms and ammunitions by the police as directed by the IGP, the crime business nosedived, thus forcing Hamidu to resort to recruiting youths in the community to resuscitate the human parts trade. He had allegedly promised handsome rewards to those he recruited, but the bubble burst when he failed to keep his promise. One of the gang members, 18-year old Ubile Attah decided to turn in the group to the Inspector-General of Police Special Tactical Squad.
Following the arrest and revelations made by the 10-man gang, the police High Command made further arrests of those allegedly behind the killings and human parts trade.
Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Jimoh Moshood who paraded the suspects in Abuja, said the police began investigation into the group’s activities following repeated cases of abduction, killing, and removal of vital body parts of victims which were reported in Ankpa town and environs as well as the killing of a Police Inspector, Abdul Alfa, at Ejule Police outpost in Ofu LGA while on foot patrol on November 28, 2017. A total of 16 suspects alleged to be responsible for the criminal activities were paraded in Abuja by the police.
The suspects are: Abdulahi Ibrahim Ali, Alhaji Shaibu Adamu, Yakubu Hamidu, Ubile Attah, Julius Alhassan, Shehu Haliru, Abdullahi Tijani, Akwu Audu, Alhaji Abdullahi Zakari, Sale Adama, Musa Abdulahi, Yakubu Yahaya, Adama Shagari, Baba Isah, Isaac Alfa, and Idoko Benjamin. Arms and ammunition recovered from them, according to police, include one pump action rifle, two locally fabricated single barrel guns, and three short axes.
According to Moshood, Hamidu, 39, who is gang leader and native of Ankpa, and the vigilante leader in the community, along with his vigilante guards “are the hit-men responsible for the killings and removal of mostly male and female organs of several victims, including other body parts, such as the head, kidney, and other vital body organs, which they sell within and outside the state for rituals.”
According to the Police spokesperson, Yakubu and his members confessed to the crime and admitted that they were working for one Abdullahi Ibrahim Ali a.k.a Halims and Alhaji Shaibu Adamu a.k.a Aye-Marina, whom they sold the body parts to.
Moshood noted that Ibrahim has allegedly “used the proceeds of crime to build and own many properties, including big hotels and several filling stations in Kogi State, while Alhaji Adamu who is without any known profession or means of livelihood was suspected to have built mansions and four filling stations in Ankpa, and another four at Onyangede in Benue State with the proceeds of the crime.”
According to him, the suspects further confessed to the killings and removal of body parts of victims whose names they gave as James, Christopher, Mohammed, Small Case, Omu and one Inspector Abdul Alfa who was ambushed and axed to death in Ofu.
Some of the suspects confessed that they paid N500,000 for female organs and N300,000 for male organs by those that contracted them. The police have since charged the suspects before a Kogi Senior Magistrate Court in Lokoja.
Ibrahim, who was alleged to be one of the ‘contractors’, however said that he knew nothing about the said crime, adding that his ordeal was orchestrated by his political enemies. He is currently the All Progressives Congress’s (APC) House of Representatives candidate for Ankpa/Olamaboro/Omala constituency in the 2019 general election.
In the meantime, Ibrahim, Adamu and Ukubile had been granted bail by the court while the other suspects were still being remanded in police custody in Abuja. Hearing on the matter comes up at the Magistrate Court in Lokoja, on November 12.
The cases continue to pile up nationwide: On August 13, a suspected ritualist, Ganiyu Idowu, 62, confessed he connived with one Alfa Bamigbola Edun, to use his apprentice for money rituals. The two were paraded by the Ogun State Police Command alongside another accomplice, Matthew Odunewu, at the state police headquarters, Eleweran, Abeokuta for allegedly kidnapping Ganiyu Akanni for money rituals.
Idowu, a herbalist, said Edun asked him to provide one person for a ritual that would yield N11 million. But Edun denied the accusation, saying he only engaged the herbalist in a mutual exchange of knowledge.
The Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Iliyasu, said the suspects were arrested at the Ogun River bank in the act of preparing to slaughter the victim for a ritual. “On interrogation, they confessed that the polythene bags found with them were to be used to collect their respective shares of the victim’s body parts after killing him,” he said.
Lagos is also not left out: In August this year a ‘mentally deranged’ couple who resided under a bridge at Cele NICA bus stop, Ojo in Mile 2, Badagry Expressway were nabbed by detectives attached to Ijanikin Police Station of the Lagos State Command, who found them in possession of various human parts.
Another case is that of an Ilorin group of eight suspects allegedly responsible for kidnapping, murder, ritual killings and exhuming dead bodies. They were also said to have been removing and trading in human skulls and other human body parts in Ilorin, Kwara State by police spokesman DCP Moshood. He narrated that during a search operation, eleven human skulls, some pieces of human bones, human hair, and powder suspected to be ground human bones and charms were recovered.
Moshood said the suspects confessed and admitted to have sold 31 human heads to some personalities in Ilorin, other towns in Kwara State and neighbouring states.
Some locals spoke to Daily Trust Saturday, expressing fears that cases will only increase, as the general elections approach. “Some of them believe in arcane things, and subscribe to fetish activities,” one of them said. “They think ritual killings or severed human parts and organs will help them win elections, but they’re wrong. They’re just monsters, with a taste for human life,” he added, “And God will certainly visit his wrath on them.”
