Two suspected ritual killers, Lukman Yisa and Salami Usman, who were arrested for the alleged killing of a 26-year-old man, Wale Adefabi, for money ritual purposes, have poured out what transpired before, during and after their heinous act.
The two suspects were shown to journalists on Tuesday by the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Williams, at a press briefing which showcased the command’s efforts in busting crimes.
The police commissioner said that one of the suspects, Yisa, aged 31, was arrested andtransferred to State Criminal Investigation Department, Iyaganku, by the Department of State Services (DSS) on May 31, based on his being suspected of engaging in ritual killing and sale of human parts.
CP stated that when interrogated, Yisa confessed to the killing of Adefabi over whom he and three others – Mustapha, Usman and one other simply known as BJ – conspired to use for money ritual.
This, the police boss said, made the detectives from Homicide Section to beam more searchlight, leading to the arrest of one of the mentioned accomplices, Usman, aged 26.
The remaining two suspects had remained at large after escaping to evade justice.
“The flesh of the deceased was recovered from the principal suspect (Yisa) and was taken to the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, for forensic analysis. Investigation in this case is ongoing to apprehend other culprits who were mentioned in the murder of the deceased,” Williams said.
Saturday Tribune had an interview with the two suspects to get their side of the story. Below are their responses:
Lukmon Yisa
I am from Oyo town. I’m an Islamic cleric (alfa) but also a bricklayer soak-away digger. I have been a cleric for a long time. I was arrested when law enforcement agents discovered human flesh in my possession.”
“What happened was that some friends brought a young man to me to kill for money ritual. They are Usman, Mustapha and BJ. They had discussed before coming to me. Mustapha said that he asked him to help purchase an iPhone online but he collected the money without fulfilling his promise. Usman told me that Mustapha said that they should kill the victim for what he did and use him for money ritual. They debated among themselves and brought the young man. I didn’t know him before then.
“They asked me how we would kill him.
He was lured to come and he brought his girlfriend. We all sat to drink tea but unknown to him, it had been laced with hemp. He started feeling sleepy because of the hard drug. The act was carried out in my office at Oke Aafin. His girlfriend also drank the tea and slept.
“We took him to the passage and hit him before strangulating him. We dismembered his body and shared the parts among ourselves. The other three took his head and body parts and flesh which filled a 25-litre paint bucket. I took the heart and flesh parts. This was in April or May 2021. It was after 5pm and rain was falling heavily which did not allow the girlfriend to go home initially.
“The girlfriend who woke up when she heard the scream of the victim jumped out of the window. About eight days later, she went to inform the police. From there, the news spread that we perpetrated the act so I ran to hide. The other three also ran away. My wife and two brothers were arrested but were later released. I went to rent a room in another area but heard that security agents were searching for me when they were told that I was using body parts for ritual. I poured the remaining body parts with me in ethanol. That was what was found with me.
“I bit my fingers in regret for doing such a thing. And I didn›t use it for any meaningful purpose, neither did it enhance my progress.”
In his confession, Usman said it was Mustapha who told him that he had an issue concerning an iPhone with the victim. He was also the one who said he knew an alfa who specialised in killing human beings to get body parts.
According to Usman, “the deceased, Wale, was a friend of BJ. BJ is a ‘yahoo’ boy. Actually, our victim was in Oyo for money ritual also. He even slept in BJ’s house. As I was an alfa, BJ was my client.
“It was Mustapha who told Yisa of our plans to kill Wale who came from Lagos State, and he said there was no problem in doing that.
When he got to Oyo, Wale called his girlfriend and they both came to where I use as an office. I didn’t want him killed there so we moved to Yisa’s office. It was even Yisa who conveyed him and his girl friend on his bike to his office.
“Yisa gave all of us tea mixed with alcohol and drug but had warned us not to drink ours, except Wale and his girlfriend, because it had been sedated.
“The drugged tea made the girlfriend to sleep while the deceased didn’t sleep quickly. After a while, Yisa hit the guy on the chest, making him to cry out in pain. Yisa then strangled him until he became lifeless. I was afraid and ran away for some minutes before returning.
“Eleven days later, we shared the body parts. BJ, Mustapha and I got the head and the fleshy parts which filled a paint bucket of 25 litres. We burnt the head with herbs and concoctions and handed it over to BJ.
“Later, I heard that the police arrested Yisa’s wife so we disposed of remaining parts.”
The two suspects were arraigned on Wednesday in the Chief Magistrate’s Court 8, Iyaganku, Ibadan, presided over by Mrs O.A. Akande, on a two-count charge.
ALSO READ FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
The charge sheet with number MI/685C/2022 read: That you Lukman Adekunle Yisa and Usman Salami with others at large on 24th of May, 2022, at about 3pm, at Oke Afin area, Oyo in the Oyo Magisterial District triable in the Ibadan Magisterial District did conspire with one another to commit felony to wit murder, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 324 of the Criminal Code cap 38 vol. II laws of Oyo State of Nigeria 2000.”
Count Two read: “That you Lukman Adekunle Yisa and Usman Salami and others now at large on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned magisterial district did unlawfully cause the death of one Adefabi Wale Mojeed male, adult by macheting him to death and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 316 and punishable under section 319 of the Criminal Code cap 38 vol. II laws of Oyo State of Nigeria 2000.”
After the reading, no plea was taken and Mrs Akande ordered them to be remanded at Agodi Correctional Centre while the case file was forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecution for legal advice.
The matter was adjourned till September 27, 2022 for further hearing.
and then