‘Pastor’ found with human skull says ‘I meant to use it to fortify my church land against armed robbers’

The white garment 55-year-old Isaiah wore depicted him as a prophet. He also claimed to be one. But the policemen manning the highways in Oyo State Police Command found it difficult to correlate his claim with the human skull found in his possession on Thursday May 4, along Ibadan-Iseyin road.

However, Isaiah had an explanation: he wanted to use the human skull as fortification to ward off armed robbers from the land on which a branch of his church is being constructed.

The Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Odude, had told Saturday Tribune on Friday, during a press briefing on the arrest of 18 suspects for different offences, that operatives of Federal Highway Patrol in the state command discovered the human skull in the prophet’s car late on Thursday during a stop-and-search exercise.

According to Odude, “the suspected ritualist, ‘Prophet’ Isaiah was arrested at about 11:30p.m. on his way to another branch of his church at Emini, via Ijaiye in Afijion Local Government Area of the state.”

The police commissioner listed the items recovered from the suspect as a human skull, a buffalo horn covered with cloth, gunpowder and other criminal charms.

In an interview with Saturday Tribune, ‘Prophet’ Isaiah a.k.a Agbojesu, who gave the name of his church as Cherubim and Seraphim Church, at Alagbado, Lagos, said he only intended to use the human head and other charms to ward off armed robbers from his land.

How I got the human skull

“There was a demolition at Pakoto, Sango area in Ogun State, where I reside, and it was there I found the human skull. My church, Cherubim and Seraphim Mount Zion, is at Agbado, Lagos. However, I have a site at Emini, Oyo State, where I am currently constructing a branch of my church. Unfortunately, armed robbers have been disturbing us in the area, so I wanted to use the skull to make some spiritual fortification so that armed robbers would stop disturbing us there.

“As I was taking the skull to the site, I was arrested by policemen of the highway patrol. I got to Ijaiye around 10p.m, on Thursday, May 4, but the highway patrol policemen stopped and searched me, and that was how they found the items on me.

On other charms found with me

“The charmed soap found with me is to get favour and mercy. I also intended to bury the horn found with me along with the human skull for the fortification, because it is a large expanse of land. I know human skull may be used for other things but what I intended to use it for was to ward off armed robbers by making the site unattractive for them. All I would do was to mix some herbs with the skull, make some incantations and instruct the skull to ward off armed robbers from that particular area.

I am a herbalist’s son

“Although I am now a prophet, my father used to be a herbalist. That was how I learnt how to prepare some spiritual potions. But I know that the Christianity I embraced does not support charms and diabolism. I joined C&S when I started learning from a man at Agbado area before I started my church in 1980. The person under whose tutelage I was is now dead.

Other spiritual works

“Apart from praying for my church members, I also help them prepare charms that will make people be at ease with them. I used to have about 26 church members, but the prophet who I employed to assist me took the members with him to establish his own church.

“I sincerely apologise and seek forgiveness from God, the government and the people.

Other arrests

Also, the police were able to arrest a domestic driver, Sola Temilola, who absconded with the Toyota Camry car of his employer.

According to the police boss, the suspect, Temilola, had only spent a month working with his boss when he broke into his office at Olunloyo area of Ibadan and carted away laptops, Ipad and tablet phones, before making away with his master’s Toyota Camry car.

“Following the report at the police station, the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the command commenced diligent investigation, which eventually led to the arrest of the suspect in his hideout in Asaba, Delta State.

“Also arrested was the person Temilola sold the car to, Godwin Monday, who resides in Benin, Edo State,” the CP said.

In addition, five members of a robbery gang terrorizing Ibadan residents by snatching their vehicles were nabbed by operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the police command. Saturday Tribune gathered that the gang attacked a female victim, Adebimpe (surname withheld) at Felele area of Ibadan on April 23, and dispossessed her of her Toyota Sienna Space Wagon, mobile phones and other valuables.

According to the Oyo police boss, immediately the incident was reported to the police, six members of the gang were picked up at various criminal hideouts in the state by SARS operatives.

“The arrested suspects included, Wale, 36; Alabi, 41, who had once been arrested and paraded for armed robbery, and later remanded in Agodi prison; Adekunle, 28; Owolabi, 31, who had also been remanded in Agodi prison for armed robbery and Abioye, 44, who had also spent time in Agodi prison for armed robbery.

“Exhibits recovered from the suspects included, one English-made pump-action rifle, one locally-made cut-to-size sing-barreled gun, 50 catridges, a Toyota 4Runner jeep with registration number BV 422 KRD, a Toyota Camry car with registration number NRK 153 PM, a military camouflage golf/fez cap, one mafia suit with the inscription: National Monitoring Squad, and criminal charms.

“In continuation of our success, officers of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) were also able to smash a notorious armed robbery gang operating in the state.

“Before their arrest, the gang was responsible for attacking victims in their homes and dispossessing them of valuable properties, including cash.

“The armed bandits, who operated mainly within Ibadan metropolis, had invaded the home of a victim in Ayekale area of the capital city, but nemesis caught up with them when policemen from Ogbere division responded swifly and stormed their hideout at Olorunsogo area, where one of the gang members was arrested with three arms concealed in a bad.

“Further investigation by the Command’s SARS later led to the arrest of four other members of the gang, and an additional gun recovered.

“The arrested armed robbery suspects were Oladejo, 20 (arrested with three guns); Ojo, 24 (gang’s armourer); Rasheed, 22 (gang’s trainer); Bashiru, 24, (supplier of ammunition) and Adigun, 57,” CP Odude said, while promising that the police in the state would continue working hard towards fishing out criminal elements wherever they are in the state.

The police boss then commended the good work his officers and men had been doing, saying it was because of that that the state has one of the lowest crime rates in the country.

“However, we will not rest on our oars, as we will continue to give our best in the service of the people of the state, so that lives and properties can be properly secured,” Odude said.