THE Niger State Police Command has arrested five men, including four who allegedly offered their biological children for money ritual.
They were arrested during a Police operation at an isolated compound in the Garima area of Bosso, near Minna, the state capital, during which operatives interrupted a ritual involving slaughtered chickens, blood-stained clothing and other suspicious items.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, Wasiu Abiodun (SP), who disclosed this in a statement in Minna, said the incident occurred on October 27, about 8:30pm, when operatives attached to the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, while on routine patrol around Bosso, received intelligence about suspected ritual activities at an isolated compound in Garima.
Daily Post reported Abiodun as disclosing that the operatives moved to the location and arrested five persons, identified as Mohammed Idris Dogara, 57, from Nasarawa State, but residing in Bosso; Aliyu Sule, 25, Abubakar Abdullahi, 40, of New Garima; Ibrahim Mohammed Hamisu, 43; and Shehu Abubakar, 40, a native doctor from Maikunkele.
Items recovered at the scene included blood-stained red and white clothing, four calabashes, two live chickens, three slaughtered chickens, a blood-stained knife and a large mat on which the items were arranged.
Abiodun said preliminary investigations revealled that Ibrahim, Abubakar, Aliyu and Mohammed had approached the native doctor to perform money rituals for them using a skeleton allegedly discovered during mining activities.
The Command’s spokesman explained that the native doctor reportedly declined their request, explaining that he did not offer such services, but the four men allegedly persisted, offering their biological children as sacrifices in exchange for different sums of money.
Consequently, the native doctor reportedly instructed each of them to purchase a chicken and assemble at a designated location for the ritual.
The suspects were, however, arrested while carrying out the activities, with Aliyu Sule holding a blood-stained knife and preparing to slaughter his chicken, after the three others had already slaughtered theirs.
Abiodun said the suspects confessed to the allegations and were undergoing further investigation before being charged to court.
