Police declare war on herbalists in Lagos, Ogun over ritual killings

The new Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 2, AIG Lawal Shehu, yesterday declared war on native doctors and human parts dealers within Lagos and Ogun states.

The declaration followed the spate of ritual-instigated killings and desecration of bodies exhumed from graveyards.

Lamenting the involvement of young people in ritual activities, Shehu said each time the suspects were apprehended, they usually claimed they were herbalists, adding that some native doctors were aiding and abating the practice.

“If they are herbalists what are they doing with human parts? The ones we arrested on December 3 at about 8:30p.m. were found with human skull.

We received information that one Jimoh Adeola of Muslim Cemetery, Oke Yadi, Abeokuta was in possession of human parts and has been dealing in such for a long time.

“Detectives of the Zonal Intervention Squad (ZIS) were detailed to investigate. Five suspects were arrested and exhibits recovered. Others arrested are Lukmon Bayewunmi, Kabir Badmus, Victor Nnacheta and Nurudeen Sogaolu.

“Dried human jaw and scalp were recovered from them. They will be charged to court soon. This is a warning to criminals and those aiding them. Whether they are ritualists, militants or armed robbers we are on a mandate to rid them off this zone. We are in close collaboration with the Lagos and Ogun police commands, as well as the local people.

“We have launched a strategy to go after all those who call themselves herbalists but are ritualists. If they can go to the graves to dismember body parts, they can as well do same to living beings. We would not tolerate any form of criminality and that is why in the two weeks that I have held sway, you can see the achievements we have recorded,” he said.

Nnacheta, 20, said he paid the native doctor N250,000 to perform ritual for him so he could become a billionaire. Badmus, an Islamic cleric, also contacted by Nnacheta for money ritual said he knew him through one Gabriel, adding that the young man told him he was into football betting business and wanted to become a billionaire from it.

Badmus said: “They called me and explained his (Nnacheta) problem and I told them to come to Abeokuta. I gave him three options. The first was that I would prepare concoction for him so that when he eats it, his business would boom. The second option was to give him a soap bought that will be prayed on; while the third was to prepare a fresh soap for him, which will require those items. One of the soaps was made using human skull and a bird called ‘Eiye Oge.’

“I got the skull for N50,000 from a mortuary attendant. He brought them to me. It was the mortuary attendant’s wife that called me that brought Alfa to his house. Within two hours, police arrived my house and arrested me.

“I was still contemplating what to do when they came. What I wanted to do for Nnacheta is called ‘ransu’. He did not choose anyone. He left me to choose an option for him. I have not done this before. The job does not bring wealth, it is called ‘awure’ in Yoruba language.”