Police arrest 8 over alleged ritual killing in Ibadan

Oyo State Police Command has arrested eight suspected serial ritual killers and 15 others over alleged murder, robbery and rape.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Ayodele Sonubi, who made this known while parading the suspects at the command’s headquarters in Ibadan on Friday, said the command got information about one of the suspected serial ritual killers on August 10 following a report by one Ayede.

Sonubi said that residents of the community had noticed an offensive odour oozing out of a building belonging to the 40-year-old suspect who does not reside in the house, adding that the man usually visit the house at odd hours.

“Operatives from Moniya Divisional Police Headquarters swung into action and moved to the scene, where a dry well was seen at the compound of the house.

“Upon close observation, gory sights of what had the semblance of mutilated human bodies were spotted inside the well.

“Eventually, the remains of three unidentified bodies were removed to the State Hospital morgue for preservation and autopsy,” Sonubi said.

According to the police boss, the suspect was arrested, adding that aside from confessing to the crime, he also mentioned the names of some of his accomplices in the killing of people for money ritual, who were now at large.

The Commissioner added that the suspect and others at large had, in April, lured a 28-year-old man to the same scene at Moniya, severed his head and legs, and sold them to two other suspects.

Sonubi further stated that the suspect further confessed that on August 7, he and others now at large stabbed a 17-year-old boy to death and severed his head and legs, which were sold to a female suspect for N70,000.