By Halimah Olamide
A farmer from the Republic of Benin has been nabbed by operatives of the Ogun state police command after he attempted to use his son for money rituals.
The farmer, Poni Bada, said he hoped to raise money to train the rest to his children with proceeds from the money rituals.
Three other men Ige Koselu, Benjamin Balovi and Segun Shile, has joined Bada to visit a herbalist’s home in Owode area of Ogun State, where the money ritual was to be carried out. They had all contributed N100,000 for the ritual process, with the agreement to have their share of the loot when the ritual is successful
While confessing, Bada said, “I have ten children from three wives. The situation of things kept going from bad to worse. I could not feed my children. I then decided to use my last child, Agbe, for a money ritual, so that I could train other children and have better living conditions.
“In May 2023, I left my home town in Jakotome, Benin Republic for Nigeria, to visit my brother, Benjamin Balobi, at Ilaro, Ogun State, who earlier told me he was doing well as a farmer and that the owner of a farmland was looking for labourers. That was how I brought Agbe to Nigeria to work.
But the thought of using him for a money ritual came up when I realized that the money paid as salary to my son was very poor. I told Balobi to help me get a herbalist that would help me with the money rituals, he said he knew no one but promised to help me find a herbalist who might have information on it. He informed Ige Koshelu (one of the suspects) who found someone that promised to take us to the herbalist’s place in Sango. But we were taken to another herbalist’s place in Owode, where we were arrested”.
After the arrest of the suspects, the Zone 2 of the Police in Lagos said the rescued boy would be taken to juvenile house for protection.