The suspects are accused of committing the heinous act for ritualistic purposes.
The Ogun State Police Command has apprehended two suspects, Akeem Usman and Niyi Ifadowo, for their alleged involvement in the gruesome murder of Quadri Salami, an 18-year-old 100-level student of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU).
The State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Omolola Odutola, confirmed the arrests in a statement issued on Wednesday, December 06, 2023, in Abeokuta.
According to Odutola, the father of the victim reported his son missing on November 14 at the Kemta Police station, Abeokuta, after he had been untraceable since November 8.
Efforts to locate the missing student proved futile, prompting Commissioner of Police in Ogun, Abiodun Alamutu, to take personal charge of the investigation.
On Wednesday, Alamutu led a team of Tactical Squad to Mile 6 in the Ajebo area of Abeokuta, following a tracking clue that led to the arrest of Akeem Usman, found in possession of the victim’s phone.
In a shocking turn of events, the suspects reportedly led the police to a shallow grave where Salami’s decomposing body parts were discovered. Usman implicated Ifadowo, revealing that they slaughtered the victim and dismembered his vital parts for ritualistic purposes.
Ifadowo allegedly took away the deceased’s head and two wrists, paying the sum of ₦100,000 into Usman’s account as proceeds from the sale of other body parts. The duo confessed to using four other human heads for money rituals.
Further investigations by the police revealed that the suspects had been selling the victim’s body parts to internet fraudsters. Heart, two legs, and flesh were buried in a plastic rubber for rituals, while the remaining parts were utilised in other criminal activities.
Both suspects are currently detained at Eleweran, State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), for ongoing discreet investigations. The police assured that the perpetrators would be prosecuted, emphasizing the commitment of the Commissioner of Police to ensuring justice is served.
SP Odutola cautioned against such nefarious practices, highlighting the endangerment of innocent lives. She urged parents to collaborate with law enforcement agencies by volunteering information to eradicate such criminal activities from society.
