Police detectives from the Zonal Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Onikan, Lagos, have apprehended a 60-year-old man and three others for conspiring to use his nine-year-old son for money ritual.
The main suspect, Bada Pome, a Beninese farmer, contacted Benjamin Balovin, another Beninese resident in Ilaro, Ogun State, with the intention of using his youngest son, Agbi Bada, for money ritual. Benjamin, in turn, reached out to Segun Shile and Ige Kose, an okada rider, to assist in transporting them to the location where the ritual was to be performed.
According to Zonal Public Relations Officer, Hauwa Idris Adamu, the police got wind of the plan and decided to act as the native doctor demanded N100,000 from them. They paid the amount, and the suspects were promptly apprehended.
Adamu explained, “The father, Bada Pome, initially wanted to send his son to Nigeria to work as a houseboy, but he was dissatisfied with the meager pay of N5,000 per month. In June, he contacted Benjamin again and expressed his desire to use the boy for money ritual due to their deteriorating living conditions.”
Benjamin contacted Segun Shile, who then sought the assistance of a popular native doctor named Roshoko in Owode Yewa. However, the native doctor informed them that money ritual does not exist, and he promptly alerted the police, who posed as the native doctor during the planned ritual.
On July 17, the suspects arrived at Roshoko’s house and paid the demanded N100,000. Afterward, Roshoko stepped out and invited the police, who promptly apprehended them.
As of now, the young boy is in custody, but he does not understand the English language, making it difficult for the police to communicate with him. The police intend to return him to Cotonou, Benin, while the suspects will be charged to court.
One of the suspects, Baba Shina, is currently on the run, as he fled his house in Ilaro after realizing that the police were on their trail.
