Islamic Cleric Caught While Beheading a Woman in His Room in Ibadan

BUT for providence, another ritual target would have been killed in Ibadan at the weekend by an Islamic cleric (Alfa).

Chiwendu Nkwocha  was already pinned to the ground  by  the suspect, Isa Salaudeen, in his room  at Ori Eru in Ibadan, with the knife slicing through her neck when, with the last strength in her, she  screamed for help  at the top of her voice.

Residents in the neighbourhood rushed to the scene with one of them kicking the door open. When Salaudeen looked up, he saw a crowd.

He dropped the knife and made to flee. He did not go far before he was caught and given the beating of his life. Some in the crowd even wanted him lynched on the spot.

A resident of the area told The Nation that the suspect had told his victim, Nkwocha, that she needed to be exorcised of some evil spirits troubling her.

The ‘ritual ‘would be performed by the Alfa with Nkwocha all alone with him in the room, the source said. She agreed and the Alfa commenced the ‘ritual’ by pinning her to the ground and putting the knife to her neck.

However, the knife appeared not to be sharp enough and forced the Alfa to reach for another knife.

That gave the victim an opportunity to fight for her life by shouting for help.

The eyewitness said: “People heard the lady shout from inside the house and they kicked the door open only to find her pinned down by the Alfa who was already cutting her neck.

“But once the door was kicked open by those who responded to the woman’s shouts for help, the Alfa ran out of the house when the first person broke in.

“The woman’s neck was already cut. The head would have been totally cut off if help hadn’t come”.

Another resident of the area, Taiwo Agunlofi, said   angry youths gave the fleeing Alfa a chase and caught up with him in no time. They were in the process of lynching him when the police arrived the scene and intervened.

They arrested the suspect and dispersed the crowd that gathered to kill him. Nkwocha was rushed to the hospital for treatment.

Other residents in the area also told The Nation that the victim was brought to Salaudeen by her boyfriend, who was still at large, for “spiritual cleansing”.

According to them, Salaudeen and the yet- to- be named boyfriend must have connived to use her for money rituals.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Olabisi Ilobanafor confirmed the incident and said that Salaudeen was in police custody while investigation continues.

Ilobanafor said it appeared that the suspect used different knives in attempting to slaughter  Nkwocha.According to her, the suspect has made useful statements to the police.

The Alfa’s room and parlour have been locked up. The incident came barely a week after the discovery of the Soka ‘Forest of Death’ in Ibadan suspected to be a den of ritualists.

Many decomposed bodies and human parts were found in the forest while about 18 kidnapped people were rescued alive from the bush. (0)

Islamic Cleric Caught While Beheading a Woman in His Room in Ibadan