Etim Effiong
The operatives of the Ogun State Police Command have arrested a 29-year-old herbalist, Baoku Gbuyi and a 27-year-old bricklayer, Olamide Odulaja over the killing of a housewife, Modupeola Folorunsho and her 4-year-old son, Peter Folorunsho for money- making ritual.
According to the police the husband of the victim had reported on the February 14, 2021 at the Ijebu- Igbo division of the command, that his wife and son went out the previous day and did not come back.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said the husband made efforts to locate them but were abortive.
He noted that a case of missing person was incidented, and the Divisional Police Officer, Ijebu Igbo, SP Kazeem Solotan detailed his crack detectives to unravel the mystery behind the sudden disappearance of the woman and her son.
“The detectives there and then embarked on technical and intelligence-based investigation, which led them to the arrest of Olamide Odulaja at Ibadan.
“During interrogation, Odulaja confessed that he and one herbalist abducted the victim and her son on the 13th of February 2021, and that the victim and her son were killed for money ritual at the house of the said herbalist,” he said.
He stated that Odulaja stated further that, it was the herbalist who burnt the woman’s head which he used in the ritual.
Oyeyemi said detectives went after the herbalist who resides on Araromi Street, Japara Ijebu Igbo.
But on getting to his resident, the state police spokesman said it was discovered that the herbalist has taken to flight having heard about the arrest of his accomplice.
Oyeyemi said: “Subsequently, all the adjoining divisions were alerted to be on lookout for the fleeing suspect.
“He was eventually traced to Kajola village, where he was arrested by the Divisional Police Officer, Awa Ijebu with the assistance of hunters and local vigilantes.
“On interrogation, the herbalist confessed that it was Odulaja who approached him for money -making ritual following which he asked him to bring a head of 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 slaughtered them for that purpose.
“He confessed further that he burnt the woman’s head with some other herbs 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.”
Meanwhile, the state Commissioner of Police, Edward Ajogun, who commended his men for their display of investigative intelligence 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 money- making ritual to desist as only hard work backed with prayer can lead to success.”