Nigerians are still reeling in shock over the arrest of three teenagers who beheaded the girlfriend of one of them for a money ritual.
The Ogun State Police Command had arrested the four teenagers while burning the head of one of their friends who is now at large in a pot in a money-making ritual in Abeokuta, the state capital last Saturday.
The bizarre incident is not the first in which girlfriends have become preys to the evil-mindedness of boyfriends who want to get rich by spilling the blood of their supposed girlfriends.
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Two similar cases had been reported, one last December in Edo State and another in June 2021 in Osun State. It is believed that some had perpetrated the evil practice undetected.
In a statement, Abimbola Oyeyemi, the Ogun State police public relations officer, said the police received information on Saturday at Adatan divisional headquarters from the head of the community’s security guards, that the suspects were seen burning a human head in a pot.
“Upon the information, the DPO Adatan Division, SP Abiodun Salau, quickly led his detectives to the scene, where the three suspects were arrested, while the fourth one who happened to be the boyfriend of the murdered girl escaped,” the statement reads.
“On interrogation, the arrested suspects confessed that what they were burning in the local pot is the head of the girlfriend of their escaped accomplice.
“They confessed further that the girl who was simply identified as Rofiat was lured by her boyfriend simply identified as Soliu to where she was murdered by four of them, after which they cut off her head and packed the remains in a sack, and dumped it in an old building.
“They subsequently led policemen to the building, where the dismembered body was recovered and deposited at general hospital mortuary for autopsy. The short cutlass and a knife used in cutting off the deceased head were also recovered.
“Meanwhile, the commissioner of police, CP Lanre Bankole, who described the action of the suspects as the height of callousness has ordered for a massive manhunt for the fleeing boyfriend of the victim by name Soliu.
“The CP also ordered the immediate transfer of the suspects to the homicide section of the state criminal investigation and intelligence department for discreet investigation with the view to arraign them in court as soon as possible”.
The police commissioner has directed detectives to ensure that the deceased’s runway boyfriend, 18-year-old Soliu Majekodumi, is arrested.
In December last year, the Edo State Police Command similarly launched a manhunt for a man who killed his 29-year-old girlfriend in the Iguadolo community for a suspected ritual.
The Edo State Police spokesman, Kontongs Bello, identified the suspect simply as Osas and the victim as Elohor Oniorosa.
According to the police spokesman, Elohor’s father, Williams, had complained to the Ogida Divisional Police Headquarters that his daughter had been murdered.
In his statement, Williams said Osas whom he confirmed to be his daughter’s boyfriend and residing in the same community called her on Christmas eve that he was sick and his daughter left for his house.
The father waited till evening and when his daughter did not show up, he called her phone but it was switched off.
He then decided to go to the boyfriend’s house where he met the landlord and told him he came in search of his daughter.
The landlord directed Williams to Osas’ apartment. They both forced the door open and saw the body of Elohor lying in the pool of her blood.
“Following the report, police operatives were immediately mobilised to the scene, where they met the young woman lying in the pool of her blood, and a cutlass with blood stain close to her,” he said.
“On close observation, there was a deep machete cut on her neck”.
Earlier in June 2021, Kabiru Oyeduntan, 39, had narrated how he assisted his friend, identified as Akin (alias o’clumsy) to murder his girlfriend.
He said the girl came to Apomu in Isokan Local Government Area of Osun State from Ibadan to visit the boyfriend.
The suspect, who was paraded along with the butchered body at the Osun state police command headquarters in Osogbo, said he was promised parts of the body by his friend for money ritual which he rejected.
According to Oyeduntan, who claimed to be a bricklayer and night guard, Akin had informed him of his intention to use the girl’s head and heart for a money ritual.
Commenting on the incidents of murdering girlfriends for money ritual, a Muslim cleric, Imam Taofeek Salman described it as a wicked sinful act.
He condemned those who murder fellow beings in their bid to acquire wealth and they would never have peace of mind and should be ready for the wrath of God on the day of judgement.
The Imam advised young men and women to be mindful of the kind of characters they associate with to avoid being lured to death or acts that would destroy their lives.
Parents were also advised to inculcate the fear of God in their children.
