82-year-old Herbalist Captured With Other Cultists

82-year-old Herbalist Captured With Other Cultists 

The police in Lagos have captured a 82-year-old native, Babatunde Rufai, said to be the head of Igunuko Masquerade; Ariyo Elegbede and eight others for affirmed complicity in a week ago's murder of Sergeant Collins Esiabor. 

The policeman was lynched on August 29 by associated individuals with Aiye religion assemble at Ifako-Ijaiye while challenging the passing of their partner. 

Others captured regarding the murdering are: Adewunmi Suleiman, 28; Olorunda Michael, 21; Omoba Idowu, 27; Olarewaju Hammed, 20; Ransom Adewuye, 27; Ayo Adeyanju, 27; Anu Akinola, 24 and Ige Akanbi, 29. 

Police Commissioner Imohimi Edgal said the cultivator supposedly treated a self-exacted discharge damage on one of the suspects, who misused an AK-47 rifle the crowd seized from the killed Sergeant. 

The police boss said Elegbede purportedly partook in the lynching of the cop, including that the two men were legitimate local specialists for the clique gathering and typically treated individuals' discharge wounds without educating the police, as stipulated by law. 

In spite of the fact that Elegbede denied the assertion, Edgal said he shared in the treatment of the harmed part, said to have fled to Ondo State, and hid the data from the police. 

He stated: “On August 29 at Haruna Bus Stop in Ifako-Ijaiye, Ogba, a mob, for no good reason and without any provocation whatsoever, attacked a police team and vandalised a patrol van stationed to provide security in the area, leading to the death of Sergeant Collins Esiabor.

“I promised then that the command would unravel and prosecute those behind the dastardly act. Investigation launched into the incident led to the arrest of 10 suspects.

“The suspects are cultists, as attested to by one of them, Ayo Adeyanju, who conveyed the bocy of their late member to the burial site. On their way, they decided to avenge the death of the deceased on the police patrol team even though it was clear that the police had no physical contact whatsoever with the deceased.

“According to the suspects, the deceased sighted policemen within his vicinity and attempted to scale a fence, believing they were after him. Unfortunately, he put the wrong foot forward and fatally injured himself.

“Meanwhile, Rufai and Elegbede, mentioned as accomplices to the group, were also arrested. Recovered from them are a Dane gun and assorted charms.”

The police boss said the suspects would be accused of murder, including that endeavors were to capture other escaping suspects. 

Edgal stated:  “Those guys confronted the police and seized an AK-47 rifle from the policeman. They did not know how to operate the gun; so, one of them mistakenly shot himself in the foot with the rifle.

“These (pointing at the suspected herbalists) are the babalawo who give them treatment. They are official babalawo for the cult group. 

So, anytime they have gunshot wounds, they go to them for treatment and these men conceal the information from the police.

“Besides, they live in that neighbourhood and heard what happened to a policeman. Yet, they never told us about a gunshot victim they treated until investigation implicated them.”