Three individuals have been arrested in Orun-Ekiti, in Ekiti state southwest Nigeria for the exhumation and beheading of 10 corpses for suspected ritual activities.
The Police prosecutor, Monica Ikebuilo identified the suspects as Kola Fatoye (40), Abimbola Fatoye (35) and Ojo Ahmed (56).
The prosecutor disclosed that they have been arraigned in court for contravening sections 242(1) b, 210(e) and 213(b) of the Criminal Code, Laws of Ekiti State.
It was also added that the defendants carried out the offences between March and September of 2020.
The defendants’ pleas were ignored as the prosecution pressed the court on the gravity of the offences.
The court was asked that the defendants be remanded while pending advice from the office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).
The Chief Magistrate on the case, Mrs Adefumike Anoma ordered that the defendants be remanded in a correctional facility, pending issuance of legal advice.
The case has been adjourned until November 6th 2020.
Some of the corpses were those of Philip Akintayo and Moreani Ajayi including eight others.
Plenty sources confirmed that ritual killings are common place in Nigeria. They are often carried out to obtain human body parts for use in rituals.
Ritualists, also known as headhunters in some quarters, go in search of human parts at the request of herbalists, who require them for sacrifices or for the preparation of various magical potions.
It is observed that politicians, the rich and those who want to be rich quickly are the major clients of the herbalists (witch-doctors) who perform thee rituals for them.
Some of the human body parts sourced are also used for ‘dark’ spiritual fortifications an charms.
Charms are believed to make a person invincible and protect them from business failure, illness, accidents, and “‘spiritual attacks.
