The Ogun State Police Command has arrested a trainee herbalist, Ifagbenga Taiwo, after his wife accused him of slaughtering their 41-day-old son for ritual purposes in the Keesi area of Adatan, Abeokuta.

It was gathered that the incident occurred on Monday, December 9, 2024, after the baby’s mother, Raimat Wasilat, laid him on a bed while washing clothes outside their home.

According to reports, the mother returned inside after washing only to find her son’s lifeless body with a slit throat.

In two videos sighted online, residents of the area narrated how the gruesome incident happened.

The mother’s cry for help alerted neighbours, prompting them to gather at her home.

It was discovered that the suspected assailant had entered through the wooden window, slit the infant’s throat, and left him in a pool of blood.

“I was hearing some noise and we came to this house to check what was happening. It was when we entered the room that we realised someone had entered through the window and slit the throat of the baby,” a neighbour narrated.

“The mother was washing clothes outside at this spot (pointing to the spot) before she went inside and discovered the lifeless body of her son who was just 41 days old.”

Another resident, Mukaila Olaide, identified as the father of the infant’s mother, explained that they were drawn by the noise which prompted them to visit the house and find the slaughtered infant.

“We were sitting some distance away from the house when we heard a noise. It was the noise that led us to rush down to the house only to discover that the boy had been slaughtered,” he said.

“That was all we saw. The police had come to pick up the mother and the husband to the station.”

The spokesperson of the command, Omolola Odutola, who confirmed the incident in an interview with Punch on Tuesday, said the infant’s mother accused her husband of the gruesome murder, prompting the police to arrest him.

“At about 1400hrs, the police received a report from the Iteesi Itoko area in Abeokuta regarding the slaughter of a two-month-old infant, Ifakorede Ajani, inside the room where his mother had placed him on a bed,” the PPRO said.

“The mother, Raimat Wasilat, from Keesi, strongly suspected her husband, Ifagbenga Taiwo, who is training to be a herbalist. She alleges that he intended to use the child’s blood for rituals

“The suspect has been detained, the crime scene was investigated, and the body was transported to the hospital for autopsy

“Investigation is underway to discover the details of this horrific act.”

An Ogun Special Anti-Cultism Court sitting in Abeokuta, on Friday, sentenced 27-year-old Afeeze Ishola to seven years in the correctional centre for belonging to a secret cult.

The convict, who resides at Otitoloju St., Mile 2, Along Ayetoro Road in Abeokuta, was convicted on a one-count charge of membership of an unlawful society.

The Magistrate, Mr J.A Akan, said that the Prosecution proved beyond reasonable doubt that the convict was guilty as charged.

Akan also held that the evidence presented by prosecution was tenable and sentenced the convict to seven years without an option of fine.

The Prosecutor, Insp. Olaide Rawlings, had informed the court that the defendant committed the offence on Sept. 2, 2022 at about 4:30 am at Opara 11 Estate Rounder, Abeokuta.

Rawlings said that in the video, the convict was arrested by a security man keeping surveillance over the community.

“Ishola was found roaming about the community, when the security man on duty stopped him and interrogated him,” she said.

She further said that he was trying to escape from the hands of another rival cult, which wanted to kill him, and was later handed over to a policeman living in the community.

According to her, the defendant is a member of the Eiye Confraternity Cult group.

She also said that upon his arrest, the convict made a confessional statement that he belonged to a secret cult.

Rawlings said the offence contravened Section 34 and Punishable under Section 36 of the Prohibition of Forcible Occupation of Landed Properties, Armed Robbery, Kidnapping, Cultism and other Anti-Violence and other Related Offences Laws, 2016.

A popular radio station in Abia, Enyimba 94.3fm, and its sister stations, Legend 98.3fm, and Rose 101.9fm Aba have shut down operations following attack by arsonists on Saturday.

The management in a statement on Sunday said the stations were targeted for fire attacks.

It said the staff members were unhurt arising from the incident which happened the same day local government elections were held across the 17 local government areas in Abia.

“As a way of exercising caution, we have made the difficult decision to temporarily shut down operations across all three stations.

“This will enable us to assess the damage, and carry out precautionary measures in order to emerge stronger and better”, the management said in a statement.

The management of Emyimba TV and Radio Ltd also expressed gratitude for the swift response and assistance from its community, which it said helped bring the fire under control.

“We will keep you updated on our progress and look forward to returning to the airwaves soon”, it stated.