Date: 2014-08-09

For allegedly burning placenta of a new born baby with other spiritual substances, a 32-year-old cleric, Alfa Abdulganiyu Bamidele of Iyana Ojere Ogidi, Laluba Area, Ilorin, Kwara State, has been remanded at the Federal Prison, Oke-Kura, Ilorin.

An Ilorin Magistrate’s Court ordered the remand of the cleric along with Ahmed Bamidele, 20 of Iyana Ojere Ogidi, Laluba Area, Ilorin and Lukeman Obalowu Issa, 32 of  Ile Olunle, Oloje Area, Ilorin, having allegedly conspired to use placenta for ritual purposes.

The accused had appeared before the court on a three-count count charge of criminal conspiracy, criminal trespass and criminal charms, contrary to Sections 97, 342 and 217 of Penal Code Law.

Police from ‘G’ Division, Oloje, Ilorin, on July 29, 2014 arrested the accused, having allegedly conspired and exhumed the placenta of the baby of one Ismaila Saadu of Ojere Street, Ogidi Area, Ilorin at about 6:00am where it was buried at the back of his house.

According to the police, during the search for the missing placenta, the accused were arrested inside the cleric’s house drying and burning parts of the placenta with roasted chicken, pepper, red oil, and alligator pepper for ritual purpose.

Police First Information Report (FIR) on the matter stated that execution of search warrant led to the remains of the placenta was found at the backyard of the cleric.

The FIR added that investigation conducted at the Department of Criminal Investigation, Ilorin, further revealed that the accused are notorious criminals who belongs to syndicate of ritualists terrorising the innocent members of the society by means of using newly born babies parts for ritual purposes, especially in Ogidi Ologe Area, Ilorin and its environs.

The prosecutor, Inspector David Wodi objected to the bail of the accused and urged the court to remand them in prison custody pending the outcome of the ongoing investigation.

Magistrate A.M. Ndakene remanded the accused at the Federal Prison, Oke-Kura, Ilorin until August 21, 2014, when the matter would come up for further mention.