Anthony Iwuoma
Controversy is trailing the unfortunate death of six-year-old Esther Ajijolaoluwa, as her mother, Oladunni Adebori, accused the father of using her for rituals.
Consequently, the grieving woman has petitioned the Ondo State Police Command, pleading that it should investigate and unravel the cause of her daughter’s death.
In the petition to the Commissioner of Police through her lawyers, Adebori said she suspected that her daughter must have been used for ritual purposes, if actually she is dead as claimed by the father, Mr. Raphael Ajijolaoluwa.
The petitioner, who separated from her husband last year, said there are indications that the child must either be kidnapped or used for ritual purposes, saying the girl was not dead as claimed by the father.
She also urged the police in the petition written on her behalf by her lawyer, Mr. Mufutau Adegboye, to exhume the remains of the girl if actually she is dead as claimed by the father.
According to her, the girl was hale and hearty as of the time she saw her in her school earlier and wondered what could have happened to her without her knowing about it.
According to the petition: “Sometime in 2019, our client approached customary court for dissolution of their association of eleven years due to belligerent behaviour and atrocities exhibited and committed by Mr. Ajijolaoluwa Raphael.
“The court ordered, among others, that the custody of the three children should be with Ajijolaoluwa Raphael while our client should be permitted to visit except at night.
“But surprisingly in deviating from the order of the court, Mr Ajijolaoluwa Raphael did not give our client access to her children despite the fact that both of them are living in the same town.
“Surprisingly on Friday, August 6, 2021, information got to our client that the last born, Esther Ajijolaoluwa, died on Tuesday, August 3, and was buried without the knowledge of our client.
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“Our client reported the matter at Ore Divisional Police Station. It was when Mr. Ajijolaoluwa Raphael reported at the station that he confirmed to our client that truly Ajijolaoluwa Esther had died and had since been buried without the knowledge of our client.”
However, the estranged husband, Ajijolaoluwa, dispelled the allegations, stressing that he informed the former wife’s family about the death of the girl before she was buried.
According to him, the court gave him custody of the children because the estranged wife said she was too busy to stay back at home to cater for the child when she was sick.
He accused the wife of causing the child’s ill-health before they got separated and added that he had spent a fortune to ensure the child stayed alive.
“It was my wife that took the child to Onitsha, where she had convulsion and she was given injection. Since then, she has not been growing well and could not do anything herself. If you see the child you will pity me.”
Spokesman of the State Police Command, Mrs. Funmilayo Odunlami, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said the police would investigate the matter.
She said once the petition is submitted to the command.
