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Why I offered my last child for money rituals – Father
Why I offered my last child for money rituals – Father
One Poni Bada has shed more light on the circumstances surrounding his decision to use his nine-year-old son for money rituals.
The 50 –year-old Beninese farmer had left his country home for Nigeria with his unsuspecting son.
Three other men: Ige Koselu, Benjamin Balovi and Segun Shile, accompanied the farmer to a herbalist’s place in Owode area of Ogun State, where the money ritual was to be carried out.
The trio contributed N100,000 needed to start the ritual process, with a consensus to have their share of the proceeds when the ritual is successful and money start to roll in.
But that was not to be, as a team of policemen from the Zone 2 Command, Onikan Lagos, who acted on intelligence, swooped in, stormed the herbalist’s shrine and effected the arrest of all the suspects, while the would-be sacrificial lamb was rescued.
Crime Guard learned that the nine-year-old boy, Agbe, was brought from Benin Republic in May, 2023, to work in a farmland where he was paid N5,000. A month after, his father was said to have called his contact in Nigeria, Benjamin Balobi, complaining that the money paid to his son was too small compared to the farm work.
Father speaks
Explaining how he came up with the idea of using his son for money rituals, the father of the boy, 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.
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“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”.
The Deal
Also speaking, one of his accomplices, Segun Shile, a commercial motorcyclist, said four herbalists earlier contacted declined engaging in money rituals sacrifice. He expressed regrets, saying, “If I had known, I would have withdrawn. We were warned by the herbalist I took them to at Owode, Ogun State not to use the boy.
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When I called the herbalist on the phone, he said there was nothing like money rituals. Few days later, he invited me to bring the person that would be used for the rituals. Immediately he sighted the boy, he stated categorically that the child’s head was too strong to be used for rituals.
He however demanded N100,000 to take to another herbalist who would perform the rituals.
“Three of us: Balobi, Koshelu and myself, who accompanied the father of the boy there, then went outside to discuss how to raise the money. Balobi brought N50,000, and Koshelu and I added N25,000 each. We told the boy’s father not to pay since he was donating his son for the ritual. The agreement was for him to give us out of what would come out of the process. When we handed the money to the herbalist, he picked up his phone and called someone. To our surprise, the next thing we saw were policemen”.
Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 2, Command, AIG Muhammed who Ali confirmed the arrest of the suspects and rescue of the minor, said the latter would be taken to a juvenile home at the end of investigation
Why I offered my last child for money rituals – Father
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metro
Elderly Man Flung to Death as Truck Overturns in Lagos
Elderly Man Flung to Death as Truck Overturns in Lagos
An elderly man has died after being flung out of a moving truck that overturned following a tyre burst around the TREM axis of Gbagada, inward Oshodi, Lagos State.
The fatal accident occurred around midnight on Sunday, November 8, 2026, involving a fully loaded Mercedes-Benz six-tyre truck conveying assorted goods, including sealed bags and newly branded event chairs.
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) disclosed the incident in a statement issued by its Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment, Adebayo Taofiq.
According to the agency, preliminary findings indicated that the truck, with registration number ABJ 37 AC, was travelling at considerable speed when one of its front tyres suddenly burst, causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle.
During the ensuing struggle to stabilise the truck, an elderly male passenger seated in the front cabin was thrown out of the vehicle.
He reportedly struck his head against a sharp object, sustaining fatal injuries and dying at the scene.
LASTMA said its Night Rescue Team, which was conducting surveillance along major traffic corridors, promptly mobilised to the accident location, cordoned off the area and evacuated the deceased from the busy carriageway.
The body was subsequently moved into an ambulance operated by the Lagos State Emergency Medical Services to prevent further exposure to approaching motorists and reduce the risk of another accident.
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Personnel of the Pedro Police Division and the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service also participated in the emergency response.
The traffic management agency said its operatives deployed traffic cones and emergency warning signals around the scene to alert approaching motorists and ensure the safe movement of other road users.
However, the overturned truck could not be immediately recovered because of the volume and nature of its cargo.
LASTMA explained that arrangements had to be made to transfer the goods into another empty truck before the accident vehicle could be removed from the road.
Reacting to the incident, LASTMA General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed condolences to the family of the deceased, describing the fatality as a painful and avoidable loss.
Bakare-Oki condemned excessive speeding, warning that it reduces drivers’ reaction time, compromises vehicle stability and increases the severity of road accidents, particularly when unexpected mechanical failures occur.
He said the consequences of the crash could potentially have been less severe if the truck had been travelling at a controlled speed, despite the sudden tyre burst.
The LASTMA boss urged operators of heavy-duty vehicles, commercial transporters and other motorists to observe speed limits and conduct regular mechanical inspections before embarking on journeys.
He specifically advised truck operators to pay attention to the condition of their tyres, braking systems and other critical vehicle components to reduce the risk of road crashes.
He also urged drivers to remain composed and apply appropriate vehicle-control techniques when confronted with sudden mechanical failures.
The agency reaffirmed its commitment to traffic surveillance, prompt emergency response and collaboration with relevant authorities to protect lives and property across Lagos State.
Elderly Man Flung to Death as Truck Overturns in Lagos
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metro
Zamfara: Bandits Allegedly Burn 13 Family Members Alive After Locking Them Inside Room
Zamfara: Bandits Allegedly Burn 13 Family Members Alive After Locking Them Inside Room
By Newstrends Correspondent
MARADUN, Zamfara State – Tragedy has reportedly struck Gidan Taba community in Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State after suspected bandits allegedly killed 13 members of the same family by locking them inside a room and setting their house ablaze.
The victims were identified as Sani Ɗanwawo and 12 members of his family, who reportedly died in the inferno during an attack on Saturday night, November 7, 2026.
According to a report published by Daily Post on Sunday, November 8, the attackers allegedly confined all 13 occupants inside a room before setting the building on fire, leaving them with no opportunity to escape.
The incident was disclosed by Bakatsine, a security and conflict reporter who monitors banditry and other security developments in Nigeria’s North-West region, in a post on X.
The reported killing represents another disturbing incident in Zamfara State, which has continued to experience attacks by armed groups, including killings, kidnappings and destruction of property.
Maradun Local Government Area and other parts of the state have witnessed repeated security challenges, leaving residents exposed to violence and displacement.
However, details surrounding the latest incident, including the identities of all the victims and possible reactions from security agencies, remain unclear.
As of the time of filing this report, independent confirmation of the reported 13 deaths from the Zamfara State Police Command or other security authorities had not been established.
Zamfara: Bandits Allegedly Burn 13 Family Members Alive After Locking Them Inside Room
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metro
[ICYMI] Lagos Summons DisCos, Regulators Over Persistent Power Outages, Seeks 24-Hour Electricity
Lagos Summons DisCos, Regulators Over Persistent Power Outages, Seeks 24-Hour Electricity
By Newstrends Correspondent
The Lagos State Government has summoned electricity regulators, distribution companies (DisCos), power resellers and suppliers to a major energy summit aimed at addressing persistent electricity shortages and finding lasting solutions to the state’s unreliable power supply.
The initiative is part of efforts to develop a roadmap towards achieving reliable, round-the-clock electricity across Lagos State, amid growing complaints from residents and businesses over frequent power outages.
The Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Biodun Ogunleye, disclosed this on Thursday during a press briefing ahead of the 2026 Lagos Energy Summit.
The summit, themed “Lagos Energy Evolution: Transforming the Future,” is scheduled for November 10 and 11, while a technical tour will take place on November 12 at selected energy infrastructure facilities.
Ogunleye said the gathering would bring together critical stakeholders across the electricity value chain to examine structural challenges affecting the sector and develop practical solutions capable of improving electricity supply.
He explained that discussions would focus on electricity sector reforms, energy efficiency, renewable energy, metering solutions and alternative sources of power.
According to the commissioner, the government intends to move beyond policy declarations and ensure that the summit produces practical outcomes that can improve electricity access and strengthen Lagos’ energy infrastructure.
The ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Ibilola Kasumu, said the summit would adopt a different approach from conventional industry gatherings by placing actual problems before experts for possible solutions.
She explained that the objective was to bring stakeholders together to identify challenges within the electricity value chain and develop workable strategies for addressing them.
Kasumu added that the government hoped to establish a framework for reliable electricity supply that could eventually serve as a model for other states.
Ogunleye also disclosed that the Lagos State Government was engaging the Federal Government on issues surrounding their respective regulatory responsibilities and the need to strengthen the state’s control over its electricity infrastructure.
The discussions are expected to cover the development of renewable energy, alternative power sources and other initiatives that could reduce dependence on conventional electricity generation.
The summit will also showcase clean-energy innovations by young Nigerians, including projects and prototypes developed by secondary school students.
The development comes amid persistent complaints by Lagos residents over erratic electricity supply, which has continued to affect households, commercial activities and small businesses across the state.
The Lagos government says achieving a more reliable energy system is essential to supporting economic growth, attracting investment and advancing its ambition of building a 24-hour economy.
However, residents will be watching closely to see whether the summit produces concrete measures capable of addressing the electricity challenges affecting communities across Lagos.
Lagos Summons DisCos, Regulators Over Persistent Power Outages, Seeks 24-Hour Electricity
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