By our Reporter
The Police Command in Oyo State said it has commenced investigation into the killing of a 14-year-old, Malik Kareem, for alleged money ritual in Ibadan.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Adewale Osifeso, stated this during an interview on Monday in Ibadan.
Mr Osifeso said that the command was aware of the incident and had immediately commenced investigation with a view to bringing the perpetrators to justice.
He assured members of the public that an update on the investigation on the matter would be made available once it was concluded.
It was reported that the victim was beheaded for ritual purposes on Saturday evening in the Olorisaoko community within the Akinyele Local Government Area.
According to reports, the victim had recently completed his final subject for the West Africa Examination Council at Iyana Community Grammar School, Olode, Moniya, Ibadan.
Sources indicated that the victim, along with three peers, sought the services of a now-absconded Muslim cleric for a money ritual on the same day. It was learnt that the three boys had bargained with the cleric to kill their friend as part of the ritual.
A family source disclosed, “I was at home when one of my brothers came rushing to inform me of the tragic incident. We immediately went to the scene, only to find the cleric had fled, and the victim’s body was discovered without a head. The victim was found in a pool of blood at the cleric’s house. His head had already been burned.
“The three boys had previously arranged with the cleric to use their friend for the ritual. When they arrived, he was strangled, decapitated, and cremated. According to what we were told, they planned to use the remains in their ritual.”
It was further gathered that the cleric’s house was subsequently set ablaze by unidentified youths from the community.