The Ogun State Command of the Nigeria Police Force has arrested a pastor identified as Felix Ajadi and two others for killing a 39-year-old man whose name was given as Adekunle Muyiwa.
A police report issued on Tuesday said the cleric and the other suspects, Idowu Abel and Clement Adeniyi, were arrested on Saturday following a report that they kidnapped, killed and dismembered the body of the victim for ritual purposes.
The spokesperson for the police command, SP Abimbola Oyeyemi, said the suspects were arrested following a report lodged at Owode Yewa Divisional headquarters on November 15 by the elder brother of the victim, Oluwaseyi Adekunle.
The police spokesperson said Adekunle reported that his brother left home on November 10 and had not returned at the time the case was being reported at the police station.
The police said, “Upon the report, the DPO Owode Yewa division, CSP Mohammed S. Baba, detailed his crack detectives to unravel the mystery behind the sudden disappearance of the man. In the course of their investigation, it was discovered that Idowu Abel was the person who came to pick up the missing man from his house on that fateful day.
“Upon the discovery, the said Idowu Abel was traced and arrested. On interrogation, Idowu Abel confessed that the victim, who happened to be his bosom friend, was lured out by him and taken to his second accomplice, Clement Adeniyi’s farm where he was killed and butchered to pieces.”
The report stated that Abel further confessed that it was a herbalist who was introduced to him by Pastor Ajadi that requested a human head, heart, two hands and legs, adding that the said herbalist promised to pay him N200,000 if he was able to get the human parts for him.
The herbalist is on the run.
Abel also admitted that the herbalist paid the sum of N80,000 upfront and promised to balance him with the sum of N120,000 on receiving the items.
Abel said it was after he collected the advance payment from the herbalist that he went to Adekunle's house and asked him to accompany him to an undisclosed destination.
And being a long-time friend, the victim who did not suspect any foul play followed him and was lured to the farm of Adeniyi where they killed him and dismembered his body, cut off his head and removed his heart.
“The remaining parts were hurriedly buried in a shallow grave on the said farm. His confessions led to the arrest of Clement Adeniyi and Pastor Felix Ajadi, while the herbalist who was simply identified as Abeeb, aka Boko has taken to flight.
“Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, CP Lanre S. Bankole has ordered the immediate transfer of the suspects to the homicide section of the state criminal investigation department for discreet investigations. He also directed that the fleeing herbalist must be hunted for and be brought to justice,” the police spokesperson said.