Crime & Court
Two suspected ritualists arrested for killing mother, son in Ogun
The Ogun State Police Command have arrested no fewer than two suspects for allegedly killing a housewife and her four-year-old son.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi, in a statement issued on Monday, said the victims were killed for ritual purposes.
Oyeyemi identified the suspects as 29-year-old herbalists Baoku Gbuyi and a 27-year-old bricklayer, Olamide Odulaja.
The arrest of the suspects, according to the the police spokesman followed a report received at Ijebu Igbo division, from the victim’s husband, who reported that his wife and his son went out and yet to return, and efforts to locate her and the little boy was futile.
“On interrogation, Olamide confessed that he and one herbalist abducted the victim and her son on the 13 of February 2021 and that the victims were killed for money ritual at the house of the said herbalist.
“He stated further that, it was the herbalist who burnt the woman’s head which he used for him and upon his confession, detectives went after the said herbalist who resides in Arararomi, Jaoara, Ijebu Igbo.
“On getting to his resident, it was discovered that the herbalist has taken to flight having heard about the arrest of Olamide”, the statement explained.
On how the suspects were arrested, the police spokesman said following the complaints lodged, all the adjoining divisions were alerted to be on the lookout for the fleeing suspect who was eventually traced to Kajola village, where he was arrested by the DPO Awa Ijebu with the assistance of hunters and local vigilantes
“On interrogation, the herbalist confessed that it was Olamide Odulaja who approached him for the money-making ritual following which he asked him to bring a head of human being as one of the material to be used,” he stated.
The suspected herbalist was said to have opened up that they conspired to abduct the woman and her son and slaughter them for ritual purpose.
The suspect explained that he burnt the woman’s head with some other herb material which he gave to Olamide to use.
When asked about the little boy, he said that his head and remains were dumped inside a pit latrine.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Edward Ajogun, has ordered the immediate transfer of the case to the state criminal investigation and intelligence department for further investigation and diligent prosecution.
The CP who described the incident as the height of man inhumanity to man warned those who are out looking for a money-making ritual to desist as only hard work backed with prayer can lead to success.
Justice Maryanne Anenih of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory has issued a public summons for former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello to appear in court to respond to a fresh 16-count indictment.
The summons requires Bello to attend court on October 24 for his arraignment, alongside co-defendants Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu.
The public summons was ordered following an application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
In her ruling, Justice Anenih directed the EFCC to publish the summons in a widely circulated newspaper to ensure proper notification.
Also, the court instructed the EFCC to post copies of the public summons at Bello’s last known address and in conspicuous locations within the court premises.
The EFCC has reported difficulties in serving the charges, which were filed on September 24, alleging that Bello and the two co-defendants committed a criminal breach of trust involving a staggering ₦110.4 billion.
A Police Inspector, Mohammed Bulama, attached to the Police Mobile Force (PMF) 41 in Yobe State, has been arrested for allegedly killing a 39-year-old civilian, Abdulmalik Dauda, during a confrontation in Damaturu, the state capital.
The incident, which occurred on September 29, 2024, was sparked by a heated argument between Bulama and Dauda over “uncleared transactions” in the Zango area of Damaturu. The argument escalated, leading Bulama to fatally stab Dauda in the chest.
In a statement, the Yobe State Police spokesperson, Dungus Abdulkarim, confirmed Bulama’s arrest and announced that an investigation into the homicide case had been launched.
“The Commissioner of Police, CP Garba Ahmed, has ordered an immediate and thorough investigation into the incident involving Inspector Mohammed Bulama,” Abdulkarim said.
He further disclosed that the officer has been placed in custody, pending internal disciplinary action and prosecution.
CP Ahmed condemned the actions of the officer, extending his condolences to the family of the victim.
He also assured the public that justice would be served swiftly in accordance with the law.
The Lagos State Police Command has summoned three officers accused of extorting N1 million from members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in the Surulere area of Lagos.
Footage of the incident, which went viral on social media late Friday, shows the officers confronting the corps members, reportedly over the absence of a physical copy of a driver’s license. The video was shared by social media user Oluyemi Fasipe, who claimed that the officers threatened the corps members with firearms and forcibly took them to the Kafaru Oluwole Tinubu House, the Area C Command of the Lagos State Police, where they allegedly extorted the sum of N1 million.
“Dear @BenHundeyin, Your officers today in Surulere extorted 1 million naira from three corps members,” Fasipe wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “They were threatened with firearms, kidnapped, and taken to the KAFARU OLUWOLE TINUBU HOUSE AREA C POLICE COMMAND of the @LagosPoliceNG where they were robbed.”
Fasipe added that the entire incident stemmed from the corps members’ inability to present a physical copy of a driver’s license, a situation he described as “evil.”
In one of the videos, the officers are seen inspecting the vehicle’s documents, with the situation escalating as additional officers arrived. One officer can be seen entering the car and demanding that the corps members stop recording the incident, while also prohibiting them from contacting their families.
In response, the spokesperson of the Lagos State Police Command, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed that the officers involved have been summoned, and an investigation is underway.
“The men have been summoned, and their trial has commenced,” Hundeyin wrote on X. “We urge the complainants to visit the Complaint Response Unit at the State Headquarters to testify at the ongoing trial.”
