Date: 2017-04-26

There was bedlam yesterday as angry residents of Kokorokan Street, Abata Suban in Ita Kudimo, Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara State pulled down an alleged ritualists' den in the area.

Also, a suspected ritualist simply identified as Wasiu Iseoluwa was caught in the act with human parts and lifeless baby in the den, National Pilot reports.

It was gathered that the suspected ritualist popularly known as Baba Muri escaped being lynched by angry mob when he was rescued by men of the state police command from Adewole D division, Ilorin.

The suspect, who is said to be a vigilante was reportedly butchering his victim, when he was discovered by a resident of the area.

According to a resident in the area, the man had gone to Wasiu's house to buy local gin from his wife but sensed bad omen when he heard strange sound, which made him to force the door open and caught the suspect in the act.

"The man who is Wasiu's wife's customer went to the house to buy local gin. He knocked severally on the door but didn't get response from within. He however heard a sound as if someone was cutting something with cutlass and out of curiosity he forced the door open and saw the suspect removing human parts from a dead baby. Earlier in the day, the residents had seen Baba Muri go into his house with a pregnant woman but no one saw the woman come out of the house. It is suspected that he dismembered and removed the baby in her womb, "a source divulged.

"Apart from being a vigilante, Baba Muri is also a bricklayer, well digger and he rears cattle, so no one suspected that he was into such dastardly act," another source said.

The suspected ritualist was said to have attacked the man with a cutlass, which made him to raise the alarm that attracted members of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) in the area.

It was further gathered that when the OPC members stormed the two -room apartment, they found items such as human skulls and bones, students' school uniforms, human hair, charms, casket and burial shroud among others. The discovery was said to have infuriated residents, who demolished his house and set his car ablaze while they descended on him before policemen saved the situation on arrival.

When The NationalPilot reporter visited the area yesterday, a crowd was noticed in front of the demolished building with people clustered discussing the ugly incident. Boldly written on a part of the demolished building were mobile phone numbers suspected to belong to his patrons.

A member of a vigilante group in the area, who craved anonymity, told our reporter that the suspect had confessed to the crime. "My attention was drawn to the incident by members of the Abata Suban community through a phone call while I was on patrol. i was informed that a vigilante, Wasiu was caught with human parts and lifeless body of a new-born.

"I quickly rushed to the scene to confirm for myself and to take necessary steps to prevent a breakdown of law and order by the aggrieved persons. On getting to the place, I saw Wasiu, with two bowls, which he confessed contained human brain. However, when contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ajayi Okasanmi, said the case has been transferred to the police headquarters, Ilorin for further investigation.

He confirmed while speaking to this medium last night that human parts were discovered in the suspect's house by the police.

"We are interrogating him to know those involved in the business with him, we have commenced investigation into the matter, "he added. He, however, urged people of the area to continue to carry on with their lawful businesses and avoid breakdown of law and order.