41-Day-Old Baby Murdered in Suspected Ritual Killing in Ogun State

A horrifying incident has shaken the Keesi area of Adatan in Abeokuta, Ogun State, where a 41-day-old baby was brutally murdered in what is suspected to be a ritual killing. The Ogun State Police Command has arrested the infant’s father, Ifagbenga Taiwo, a herbalist-in-training, in connection with the crime.

The tragedy occurred on Monday, December 9, 2024, when the baby’s mother, Raimat Wasilat, left her child lying on a bed inside their home while she stepped outside to wash clothes. Upon her return, she was met with a devastating scene: her baby’s lifeless body with a slit throat.

Neighbors, alerted by her screams, rushed to the scene and confirmed the baby had been murdered while Wasilat was outside. According to Adewumi, a local resident, it appeared the assailant entered the home through a window to carry out the gruesome act. “The mother was washing clothes outside when she found her baby dead. Someone had clearly entered the house and committed this heinous crime,” Adewumi said in a video captured at the scene.

The baby’s maternal grandfather, Mukaila Olaide, recounted the moment the family discovered the tragedy. “We were some distance away when we heard the commotion. By the time we got there, the baby had been slaughtered,” he said.

Police investigations took a chilling turn when Wasilat accused her husband, Ifagbenga Taiwo, of being responsible for their child’s death. She claimed Taiwo, who is training to become a herbalist, might have intended to use the baby’s blood for ritual purposes.

Omolola Odutola, the Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), confirmed Taiwo’s arrest and stated that forensic examinations were conducted at the crime scene. The baby’s body has been sent for an autopsy, while the investigation continues to uncover the full details of this horrific crime.

The community remains in shock as they grapple with the tragic loss of an innocent life.