The Ogun State Police Command has arrested a suspected ritualist, Taiwo Yemitan, who was caught with a fresh human head and dismembered body parts of a female victim.
The arrest took place at 1:40 am on Sunday in the Lafenwa area of Abeokuta, Ogun State. The suspect, 45-year-old Taiwo Yemitan, was apprehended at his home behind Atinsola petrol station in Sanni, Abeokuta.
Spokesperson for the Ogun State Police Command, SP Omolola Odutola, confirmed the arrest in a statement released to the press on Sunday. According to Odutola, the police acted swiftly on a tip-off from local security outfits, including Agbekoya and Vigilante operatives.
Odutola revealed that Yemitan confessed to knowing the victim, a woman identified as Darasimi. The suspect admitted to luring Darasimi to his home with the intention of killing her for ritual purposes.
“He confessed to the murder, naming two other individuals, Kehinde Yemitan and one Kazeem, as accomplices in the criminal act,” Odutola said. The police spokesperson explained that the three men planned to sell the victim’s head and other body parts.
The dismembered body of the victim has been taken to the Ijaye General Hospital in Abeokuta for a post-mortem examination. Authorities are working to locate the victim’s relatives and further investigate the crime.
The suspect, Taiwo Yemitan, is expected to be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Eleweran, Abeokuta, for a more thorough investigation.
This disturbing incident comes after a similar case earlier this year, in which a suspect, Azeez Adebayo, confessed to killing three young women he lured via online “hook-up” arrangements. Adebayo and his accomplices reportedly enticed the victims with promises of large sums of money before leading them to their untimely deaths.
According to SP Odutola, Adebayo and his syndicate targeted young women from a popular hook-up site called “MY CHAT.” After negotiating prices, the women were lured to a specific address, where they were killed for ritual purposes.
“These incidents serve as a wake-up call,” Odutola stated. “We urge young ladies to stay away from hook-up schemes, as many fall victim to such dangerous traps. A large number of girls involved in hook-up arrangements end up slaughtered for rituals.”
The police spokesperson also cautioned young women to be cautious of online dating sites, as many can be used for malicious purposes. She advised them to make better use of social media platforms to ensure their safety.
“Social media should be a tool for personal advancement, not a means of endangering oneself,” Odutola stressed.
Parents were also urged to speak to their daughters about the dangers of online entrapments and the pursuit of material wealth at any cost.
“We must protect our children and ensure they do not fall into the trap of seeking quick money through dangerous means,” she said.
The police continue their efforts to arrest the remaining accomplices in the case and to ensure justice for the victim. Meanwhile, the people of Abeokuta and Ogun State as a whole are left in shock and horror as another ritual killing is uncovered.
Ritual killings and human trafficking have been recurring concerns in parts of Nigeria, with many instances tied to the belief in using human body parts for ritual purposes to gain wealth, power, or influence. These practices, though illegal, continue to happen, often through online connections or social media platforms where individuals prey on the vulnerable.
In this case, the police have made significant strides in uncovering the crime thanks to the cooperation of local security outfits. The collaboration between Agbekoya and Vigilante operatives has proven vital in addressing security challenges in the area, particularly regarding ritualistic crimes.
The suspect’s confession points to a wider network of individuals involved in similar crimes, further alarming the public about the scale of such practices. Although arrests have been made, authorities continue to grapple with the widespread nature of these crimes, particularly in rural and semi-urban areas.
