Ritualists disguise as farm labourers, hack pastor to death in Ondo
Two ritualists who disguised as labourers have allegedly hacked a 45-year-old pastor, Dada Itopa to death at Ebira camp Ipele in Owo local government area of Ondo State.
It was gathered that the ritualists also attacked the 30-year-old Pastor’s wife, Bose Dada with a cutlass at the same scene but she was later rescued.
Spokesperson of the state police command, Mrs Funmilayo Odunlami-Omisanya, who confirmed the incident said one of the ritualists, Mohammed Musa had been arrested in connection with the attack while his co-suspect Omatai is still on the run.
According to the PPRO, the suspects followed the deceased Pastor to Ipele farm as labourers but in the process, one of the suspects Omatai requested a cutlass from Pastor Dada under the pretence that he wanted to use it to work on the farm but used the same to hack him to death.
The arrested suspect, Musa confessed that they attacked because they needed to deliver a human head to an herbalist who requested it in Ipele town for ritual.
The police spokesperson’s effort is ongoing to arrest the herbalist who ordered the human head and arrest the second suspect.
“On the 7th of August, 2023 at about 0800hrs, one Dada Itopa ‘M’ aged 45years a pastor and his wife Dada Bose went to their farmland at Ebira camp Ipele in company of two labourers, Mohammed Musa ‘M’ aged 30years and Omatai ‘m’ who is now at large to help them clear weeds on their farmland and a sum of Eleven Thousand Naira (#11,000:00k) was agreed upon for workmanship,” the statement read.
“In the process, Omatai requested a cutlass from Dada Itopa under the pretence that he wanted to use it to work on the farm but hacked Dada to death. The victim’s wife tried crying for help to prevent him from escaping and was also matcheted on the head by Mohammed Musa, a friend of Omatai, and she sustained a serious injury. The victim is currently at the Hospital.
“In the course of the investigation, Mohammed Musa confessed that they attacked because they needed to deliver a human head to a herbalist who requested it in Ipele
“Effort is ongoing to arrest the herbalist who ordered for the human head,” the PPRO added.
