The gallant operatives of the Nigerian Police in Ogun State have apprehended a man of God who allegedly murdered his lover for ritual purposes.
The suspects and Policemen
The Ogun State Police Command have apprehended the Pastor-in-charge of Holy Gathering Evangelical Church of God, Elijah Oluwatobiloba, over the alleged killing of his secret lover, Raliat Sanni, for rituals.
According to Tribune, the suspect, who was said to have severed the body in parts and buried the remaining inside his church, upon interrogation, claimed that he carried out the heinous act for reasons known to “him and God”.
The State Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Iliyasu, who paraded the suspect, said the suspect was arrested following a report of a case of a missing person at the Police Divisional Headquarters, Ewekoro, about a week ago.
His accomplice, Daniel Sopeju, was also paraded alongside.
The CP said, “The case was reported by one Adebola Saheed that his younger sister, Raliat Sanni left home since 21st March and had yet to return.
“On the strength of the report, our operatives at Ewekoro Division led by the Divisional Police Officer, OluwarotimiJeje, swung into action and embarked on technical intelligence investigation.”
The CP described the act as an act of wickedness to a fellow human being, saying the suspect was arrested following a discreet analysis of facts surrounding the disappearance of the victim.
Iliyasu told newsmen that forensic investigation into the case had commenced and that the case would soon be charged to court.
While speaking with newsmen, the suspect denied killing his “lover”, claiming the killing was done by his accomplice, adding that his accomplice led seven members of an occultic group to his house with the aim of luring him to become a member.
The suspect who claimed to be a teacher at Methodist High School (Private), Arigbajo, in Ifo area of the State, said the group ordered him to submit names of his church members and eventually picked the deceased name.
He said, “It was not true that I killed a woman, it was one Mr Sopeju Daniel and a woman wanted to make me join their occultic group and they said that they are going to collect a ransom.
“So they collected the names of my members and picked the name of Raliat Sanni. Having mentioned her name, they asked me where she was living and I told them she is living at Wasimi. They later got her and brought her to my church.
”Mr Sopeju brought out a knife and beheaded the woman and after beheading her, he collected her blood and put it in seven calabashes”.
When asked to react to the allegations, Sopeju denied all said by his friend but admitted they all belonged to white garment churches in the area.