By Sunday Apah
Ganiyu Kehinde, a herbalist residing in Oba-Oke, Osun State, recently apprehended by law enforcement for the murder of his friend, Emmanuel Collins, has disclosed that he committed the gruesome act under the sway of dark forces, with the intention of obtaining human body parts for money-making rituals.
Kehinde, one of several suspects apprehended for various offenses and showcased by the police at the Osun Command’s headquarters in Osogbo, provided chilling details of the incident.
Yemisi Opalola, the spokesperson for the Osun Police Command, outlined the case, stating that a report was filed at the Oke-Odo Division in Osogbo regarding the killing of a 35-year-old Ghanaian national, Collins, by an unidentified assailant.
“Following the report, police detectives swiftly launched an investigation, leading to the arrest of Kehinde Ganiyu, a close associate of the deceased. Kehinde admitted to the brutal crime, revealing that on the night of July 9, 2024, around 9:00 pm, he entered the residence of the ailing victim while he was asleep.
“He confessed to fatally stabbing Collins with a kitchen knife and extracting his throat. Subsequently, he dried the throat for three days before burning it in a clay pot alongside ritualistic items at a site known as Igbo Imese in the Aiwosi Area of Oba-Oke village. The ashes were then mixed with soap to create a money ritual substance (OSOLE).
“Kehinde took full responsibility for the heinous act, claiming to have acted alone. The investigation is ongoing, and pending its completion, the suspect will face legal charges,” Opalola remarked.
During interactions with journalists, Kehinde, self-identifying as an herbalist, confessed to the murder, asserting that he utilized the victim’s throat in the creation of a money ritual soap.
In a remorseful confession, the self-proclaimed herbalist stated, “The deceased was my friend. I cannot explain what came over me. I found him unwell, and in a moment of madness, I attacked and killed him for a money ritual. The devil influenced me to commit this heinous act of taking my friend’s life for material gain. After the murder, I extracted his throat and used it to concoct a money ritual soap, as I have done in the past for four individuals involved in internet fraud. The devil led me astray.”
Another individual paraded was 22-year-old Effiong Saviour from Ipetumodu, who allegedly assaulted a woman with a cutlass, robbed her of her handbag containing a phone, GTB ATM card, and N6,000, and inflicted machete wounds on her.
Emphasizing the seriousness of these crimes, Opalola warned that all suspects would face legal proceedings once the investigations into their offenses were completed. She urged residents to promptly provide any information that could help prevent criminal activities in the community.
