A 14-year-old boy, identified as Malik Kareem, was brutally beheaded for a suspected ritual in the Olorisaoko community, Akinyele Local Government Area, Ibadan, Oyo state capital, on Saturday. The horrifying incident has left the area in shock and confusion.
Malik, who had recently completed his final West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) paper at Iyana Community Grammar School, Olode, Moniya, was reportedly lured into the tragic situation by three friends of the same age group.
According to multiple sources, the boys had contacted a self-acclaimed Muslim cleric for a money ritual, but unknown to Malik, the cleric and the other boys had planned to use him as the sacrifice.
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A family member who arrived at the scene described the horrific discovery. “We rushed to the place after being informed, but the cleric had already fled. We found Malik’s lifeless body without a head, lying in a pool of blood in the cleric’s house,” the source said, adding that the head had been cremated as part of the ritual.
It was later revealed that the cleric’s house was set ablaze by unidentified youths in the community, possibly in retaliation for the gruesome murder.
The Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer, Adewale Osifeso, confirmed that investigations into the incident have begun. “Investigations have commenced on the incident, and you will be updated accordingly,” Osifeso stated.
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The shocking crime has sparked outrage in the community, and the search for the fleeing cleric and the three accomplices is ongoing. The incident underscores growing concerns over ritual-related killings in the region, calling for increased vigilance and security measures.