A 41-day-old baby has been tragically killed in what is believed to be a ritualistic murder in Abeokuta, Ogun State. The police arrested Ifagbenga Taiwo, a herbalist-in-training, in connection with the infant's death. The incident happened on Monday, December 9, 2024, in the Keesi area of Adatan, where the baby’s mother, Raimat Wasilat, had left her son lying on a bed inside their home while she went outside to wash clothes.
When Wasilat returned, she was horrified to find her baby’s lifeless body with a slit throat. Neighbours, drawn by her screams, rushed to the scene and discovered that the infant had been murdered while she was away.
Adewumi, a local resident, shared that the assailant had likely entered through the window to carry out the brutal act. "The mother had been washing clothes outside when she came back and found her baby dead. It was clear that someone had entered the house and slit the baby’s throat," Adewumi said in a video recorded at the scene.
The baby's maternal grandfather, Mukaila Olaide, also spoke of the terrifying discovery. "We were some distance away when we heard the commotion. When we arrived, we found the baby slaughtered," he recalled.
According to the Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Omolola Odutola, the mother, Wasilat, has accused her husband, Ifagbenga Taiwo, of committing the crime. She claims that Taiwo, who is studying to become a herbalist, may have intended to use the baby’s blood for ritual purposes.
The police confirmed that Taiwo was arrested shortly after the mother’s allegations, and the crime scene was examined.An investigation is ongoing to uncover further details surrounding this horrific crime, with the infant’s body sent for an autopsy. The community remains in shock over the tragic loss.