Operative of the Oyo State Security Network, codenamed ‘Amotekun’ have nabbed three suspected ritualists for allegedly slaughtering a 73-year-old man, Adebisi Adeniyi, for money ritual.
The suspects, named Ismail Muraina, Olalekan Muhideen and Abdurasheed Olanrewaju, were paraded on Tuesday 21st of September, at the Amotekun headquarters in Ibadan, Oyo State.
According to the suspects, they confessed to slaughtered their victim shortly after abducting him along Amuloko-Akanran Road, Ibadan, on Sunday.
Ismail alleged that Olanrewaju contacted him saying that he needed a human head for money rituals. He claimed that he was paid the sum of N35,000 to get the human head, so he contacted Muhideen who brought a live human being to them.
The alleged killer, who explained that he was initially afraid to carry out the evil act, said that he was emboldened when Muhideen hypnotised him and Olanrewaju.
According to him, he and Olanrewaju pinned the victim down while Muhideen slaughtered him.
He said, “I was scared when he brought the man, but I believed that he hypnotised us with a charm; we obeyed him. I held the old man’s legs, Alfa (Olanrewaju) held his head and Muhideen slaughtered him.”
Muhideen said that he hypnotised the victim somewhere at Amuloko area stating, “After beheading the man, I took his body to the place where I buried him”
“But, a woman saw the fresh grave and confronted me. When I told her that I buried somebody there she informed others. So, I was arrested.”
The decomposing remains of the victim, which wrapped in a bed sheet, were showcased during the parade.
Olanrewaju, who confessed that he intended to use the human head for ritual, said that he took it home and burnt it to ashes in a pot.
Displaying the ashes, he said, “I told them that I needed a human head, not a live human being. After killing the man, they gave me the head and I took it home and burnt it. What remains of the head is here in the pot.”
One of the victim’s children, Olufunke Olaosun, said that Muhideen was a known person to the family.
She said that Muhideen asked her father to meet him somewhere for the money which he owed him unknown to him that he planned to kill him.
Olufunke said that the family had rummaged everywhere in futility in searching for their father until they were told to come and identify the remains of her father at the Amotekun office.
Meanwhile, according to the Deputy Commandant of Amotekun in the state, Mr Babalola Akinro, said investigation is still ongoing on the matter, saying that the suspects will be later handed over to the Nigeria police force.