Ritualists Posing As Farm Workers Hack Pastor To Death In Ondo

Two ritualists who presented themselves as labourers have reportedly killed a 45-year-old pastor named Dada Itopa at Ebira camp in the Ipele area of Owo local government in Ondo State.

It was gathered that the ritualists also targeted Bose Dada, the 30-year-old wife of the pastor, assaulting her with a cutlass at the same location, she was subsequently rescued from the scene.

Confirming the incident, Mrs Funmilayo Odunlami-Omisanya, the spokesperson of the state police command, reported that Mohammed Musa, one of the suspected ritualists, has been arrested in connection with the assault, while his co-suspect Omatai is still on the run.

The Public Relations Officer (PPRO) revealed that the suspects trailed the late Pastor to the Ipele farm, posing as labourers, one of the suspects, Omatai, reportedly asked Pastor Dada for a cutlass, feigning the intention to use it for farm work but used same to hack him to death.

The arrested suspect, Musa confessed that they carried out the attack because they needed to deliver a human head to an herbalist who requested for it in Ipele town for ritual.

The image maker said an effort is ongoing to arrest the herbalist who ordered the human head and arrest the second suspect.

“On the 7th of August, 2023 at about 0800hrs, one Dada Itopa ‘M’ aged 45years a pastor and his wife Dada Bose went to their farmland at Ebira camp Ipele in company of two labourers, Mohammed Musa ‘M’ aged 30years and Omatai ‘m’ who is now at large to help them clear weeds on their farmland and a sum of Eleven Thousand Naira (#11,000:00k) was agreed upon for workmanship,” the statement read.

“In the process, Omatai requested for a cutlass from Dada Itopa under the pretence that he wanted to use it to work on the farm but hacked Dada to death. The victim’s wife tried crying for help to prevent him from escaping was also matched on the head by Mohammed Musa, a friend to Omatai her head and she sustained serious injury. The victim is currently at the Hospital.

“In the course of the investigation, Mohammed Musa confessed that they carried out the attack because they needed to deliver a human head to a herbalist who requested it in Ipele

“Effort is ongoing to arrest the herbalist who ordered for the human head,” the PPRO added.