Five suspected ritualists have been nabbed by the operatives of the Kwara State police command in Patigi local government area of the state, while remains of a murdered victim were also recovered.
In a statement by the command’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Okasanmi Ajayi, in Ilorin on Friday, the names of the suspects are given as: 1. Samuel Peter Tsado ‘m’ 2. Mohammed Gbara a.k.a. Madi ‘m’ 3. Abubakar Mohammed a.k.a. Mallam Baba Pati ‘m’ 4. Mohammed Ahmadu Nma ‘m’ 5. Bala Karin ‘m’ and three others at large. The statement, which said that the victim, a prostitute, was tricked and taken to one of the suspect’s homes, and was reportedly beheaded for money ritual purposes.
“In continuation of the effort of the Kwara State Police command’s commitment to ensure people of Kwara State sleep at night with both eyes closed, the Commissioner of Police Kwara State, CP Tuesday Assayomo, wishes to inform of the command’s investigation of a reported case of a missing person turned homicide.
“On June 29, 2021, at about 23:08hrs, an unknown young person, later identified as Samuel Peter Tsado ‘m’ of Patigi town in Patigi Local Government Area of Kwara State, went to one Victory Hotel Patigi and requested for the service of a commercial sex worker by name Abigail ‘f’ (other names unknown).
“After the monetary negotiation of N5,000:00, both Peter and Abigail left the hotel premises to an unknown place, ever since then both of them were not seen again.
“On the receipt of the report of a missing person, the commissioner of police, who suspected a foul play directed the case be taken over by the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for a discreet investigation.
The investigation, however, led to the arrest of one Samuel Peter Tsado, who confessed that he actually contracted the deceased for sex. He also confirmed that he and one Mohammed Agbara ‘m’ a.k.a. Madi, both agreed and planned how to make money ritual and in furtherance of their desires, they planned on how to source for the human head that would be needed for the money rituals which prompted him to leave his house at Patigi for Victory Hotel with his motorcycle where he approached the late Abigail, a sex worker, who agreed to follow him home after agreeing on N5,000:00 for the night.
At Samuel Peters’ home, where Mohammed Gbara ‘m’ an accomplice was already waiting, Abigail was strangulated by the duo of Samuel Peter Tsado and Mohammed Gbara. “The head of late Abigail was severed with a knife. The headless body of the deceased was conveyed by the suspects on Samuel Peter Tsado’s motorcycle and dumped in the bush along Patigi/Rifun road. “Both Samuel and Mohammed went separately away to reassemble in Bida, Niger State on June 30, 2021. While in Bida, the deceased head was kept in Mohammed Abubakar ‘m’ a.k.a. Mallam Baba Pati’s home, awaiting the arrival of the ritualist from Maiduguri in Borno State for the money ritual exercise.
“Investigation took detectives to Bida and Minna in Niger State where three other suspects were arrested. They confessed to the offence and also confessed to have been involved in an earlier ritual attempt using the hand of one victim yet to be identified.
“The suspects took detectives to the bush where the carcass of the deceased was recovered. The effort to recover the head of the deceased was still in progress as the custodian of the head is still at large. But he will certainly be arrested and brought to justice.
“The names of the suspects are listed below 1. Samuel Peter Tsado ‘m’ 2. Mohammed Gbara a.k.a. Madi ‘m’ 3. Abubakar Mohammed a.k.a. Mallam Baba Pati ‘m’ 4. Mohammed Ahmadu Nma ‘m’ 5. Bala Karin ‘m’ and three others at large. “Suspects will be charged to court at the conclusion of the investigation. “The Commissioner of Police CP Tuesday Assayomo wishes to assure members of the public of the safety and security of their lives and property applying every available resource both human and material, stating that this can only be achieved with the cooperation and collaboration of the people.
“The Command for the umpteenth time wishes to emphasize that Kwara State will be made uncomfortable for criminals of whatever nomenclature, as such, criminals are advised to turn a new leaf or relocate from Kwara State permanently, please. (Nigerian Tribune)