Operatives of Ogun State Police Command have arrested a 29-year-old herbalist, Baoku Gbuyi and 27-year-old bricklayer, Olamide Odulaja, for the alleged killing of a housewife, Modupeola Folorunsho and her four-year-old son, Peter, for suspected money-making rituals.
The Guardian learnt that their arrest was prompted by a report made at the Ijebu Igbo Police Division by the victim’s husband, who reported on February 14, 2021, that his wife and son went out since the previous day and yet to return, adding that efforts to locate them did not yield any positive result.
A case of a missing person was reported, and the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Ijebu Igbo Division, SP Kazeem Solotan, detailed his detectives to unravel the mystery behind the sudden disappearance of the woman and her son.
According to the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Abimbola Oyeyemi, yesterday, detectives embarked on a technical and intelligence-based investigation, which led them to the arrest of Odulaja in Ibadan, Oyo State.
“On interrogation, he confessed that he and one herbalist abducted the victim and her son on February 13, 2021, and that the victim and her son were killed for money rituals 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.
“Upon his confession, detectives went after the herbalist who resides at Araromi Street, Japara, Ijebu-Igbo. On getting there, it was discovered that the herbalist had fled, having heard about the arrest of Olamide.
“Subsequently, all the adjoining divisions were alerted to be on the lookout for the fleeing suspect. He was eventually traced to Kajola village, where he was arrested by the DPO, Awa Ijebu, with the assistance of hunters and local vigilantes,” he said.
Oyeyemi said when the herbalist was interrogated, he confessed that it was Odulaja who approached him for a money-making ritual following which he asked him to bring a human head of a human being as one of the materials to be used.
He stated further that they both conspired to abduct the woman and her son and slaughter them for that purpose. He confessed further that he burnt the woman’s head with some other herb materials, which he gave to Odulaja to use.
“When asked about the little boy, he said that his head and remains were dumped inside a pit latrine.
“The commissioner of police, CP Edward Awolowo Ajogun, who commended his men for their display of investigative intelligence, has ordered the immediate transfer of the case to state criminal investigation and intelligence department for further investigation and diligent prosecution.
“The commissioner for police, who described the incident as the height of man’s inhumanity to man, warned those who are out looking for money-making rituals to desist as only hard work backed with prayers can lead to success.”
