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Why I offered my last child for money rituals – Father

Published

2 years ago

July 29, 2023

Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 2, Command, AIG Muhammed

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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Explosion in Yobe, three people hospitalised

Published

13 hours ago

March 24, 2025

Trends Admin

Yobe State Police spokesperson, DSP Dungus Abdulkarim

Explosion in Yobe, three people hospitalised

At least 3 persons have been hospitalised after an undetonated Improvised Explosive Device exploded in Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State.

The explosion took place on Saturday at Ngomari Community in Buni Yadi, headquarters of Gujba Local Government Area.

A reliable source in the area told Daily Trust that the incident happened when a 22-year-old discovered live ammunition and four AK47 rounds while fetching firewood in the bush.

“The young man attempted to open the ammunition out of curiosity.

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“He proceeded to strike the ammunition with a hammer, which triggered an explosion. 3 persons including the young man sustained various degrees of injury,” the source said.

Confirming the incident, the Secretary of the Local Metal Fabricators Association, Gujba LG, Malam Isyaku Dahiru, said the victims were moved to Yobe State Specialist Hospital Buni Yadi for urgent treatment.

Efforts to get the reaction of the Public Relations Officer of the Yobe State Police Command, SP Dungus Abdulkarim, were not successful as he did not pick his calls and was yet to reply to the calls as at the time of filing this report.

Boko Haram terrorists have been using IEDs to launch attacks on communities in the area.

Explosion in Yobe, three people hospitalised

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Rivers: Presidency reveals security intelligence leading to emergency rule

Published

13 hours ago

March 24, 2025

Trends Admin

Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, Suspended Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Rivers: Presidency reveals security intelligence leading to emergency rule

The Presidency has revealed that security intelligence reports led to the suspension of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and elected members of the State House of Assembly.

According to the government, militants were already targeting oil pipelines, posing a serious threat to national security and the economy.

Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, disclosed this in an article titled “Imagine Rivers State Without a State of Emergency”, published on Sunday.

He maintained that intelligence reports showed an escalating crisis in the oil-rich state.

President Tinubu, in a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday, explained that his efforts to mediate the political conflict in Rivers had been ignored. He stated that worsening security threats necessitated the declaration of a state of emergency.

“The latest security reports made available to me show that between yesterday and today, there have been disturbing incidents of vandalization of pipelines by some militants, without the governor taking any action to curtail them. I have, of course, given stern orders to the security agencies to ensure the safety of the good people of Rivers State and the oil pipelines,” Tinubu said while announcing the emergency rule.

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The decision has drawn criticism from various quarters, with many questioning its necessity. However, the Presidency has defended the move, insisting it was based on credible security intelligence.

Onanuga explained that Section 305 of the Constitution empowers the President to act when there is a threat to law, order, or economic security.

“Impeachment threats might have spurred attacks on lawmakers by the governor’s supporters, while militants in the creeks—primed to sabotage critical oil infrastructure—could have plunged Nigeria’s oil production back to pre-2023 lows,” he stated.

He further alleged that militants were awaiting instructions from Fubara before launching attacks on pipelines.

“Intelligence confirmed that militants, told by Fubara to await signals, were already targeting pipelines, risking a collapse in output and a Niger-Delta domino effect,” Onanuga added.

According to him, Tinubu’s intervention was crucial, as Rivers State is a key player in Nigeria’s oil sector. He warned that any disruption in the region could have dire economic consequences.

He dismissed claims that the emergency rule undermines democracy, arguing that it is a “temporary, surgical” measure aimed at restoring order rather than replacing democratic institutions.

Rivers: Presidency reveals security intelligence leading to emergency rule

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Shehu Sani faults senators taking voice vote objection to media

Published

14 hours ago

March 24, 2025

Trends Admin

Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani

Shehu Sani faults senators taking voice vote objection to media

A former senator who represented Kaduna Central Senatorial District has slammed lawmakers for going to the media to raise objections against the adoption of voice voting for the confirmation of a State of Emergency in Rivers State.

Shehu Sani said that any lawmaker who wished to raise such an objection ought to have done so in the chambers of the National Assembly and not the media.

Recall that members of the National Assembly had voted on the proclamation of a State of Emergency in Rivers by President Bola Tinubu.

However, rather than adhere to the provisions of the law by taking a head count to determine that the Assembly had formed a quorum, the leadership of both chambers adopted voice voting.

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Shortly after the voting process which was condemned by many including Peter Obi, Atiku Abubakar, and the Peoples Democratic Party among others, Ireti Kingibe, a serving lawmaker condemned the process.

In his reaction, to this Sani said all objections should be done within the chambers, not outside or in the media.

He wrote on X, “If any lawmaker had issues with voice votes or quorum, he or she is supposed to raise a point of order on the floor and insist on being heard; and not be silent in the chamber then come to the media to raise objections.

“If there is no quorum, it’s because some lawmakers deliberately chose to abstain,” Sani noted.