Ritual: 60-Year Old Woman Killed In Ondo State

Tope Fayehun, Akure

Tragedy struck at Liseri Community in Ode Irele ,the headquarters of Irele Local Government Area of Ondo State, as a 60-year old woman, Mrs. Ajisomo Lawson was allegedly killed for ritual purpose by her pastor, Mr. Taiwo Elijah.

The deceased was said to have been invited by her Pastor Taiwo Elijah of Christ Apostolic Church, C.A.C (Oke Oluwa, so ekun mi derin)  in the area from her village for a spiritual programme last week Friday.

LEADERSHIP Investigation revealed that, after the spiritual programme was called off, the said pastor arranged for a motorcycle to take the woman back to her village at Liseri .

For several hours, It was learnt that the woman did not return to her village before a search team was raised to search for her whereabouts.

The team, according to a source was said to have found her lifeless body in a bush at the Irele oil palm plantation on Irele-Ore road.

Some vital parts of her body, including her private part, breasts and two eyes balls were said to have been removed by the suspected ritualists.

Efforts  by her family to know her whereabouts from the pastor who invited her was not successful as he (pastor) was said to have fled the town and up till the time of this report, the pastor had not returned to the area.

One of her children, Seyifunmi Lawson , who spoke to journalists on the incident , disclosed that her mother was invited to Irele  last week Thursday by Pastor identified as Elijah for a revival programme.

She said the programme was initially scheduled to take place on Friday but was cancelled. 

She further narrated that , the pastor  asked her mother  whether  she will be going back  to the village the following  morning (Friday)  since the revival programme would no longer hold.

According to her, “Mama told pastor of her interest to return to her village since  she was not prepared enough to stay  longer than  necessary at Ode Irele and the pastor  promised  to arrange  an okada rider that will take her back the following  morning.

” Our mother left with the okada man around 7am on Friday and unfortunately the woman did not get to her village.”

Confirming the incident when contacted, the Ondo State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Femi Joseph, said it was not clear yet if the deceased was killed by ritualists

The PPRO said, “We cannot say for now if it was a ritual killing because before the deceased’s body was found her body was already decomposing, so one can’t say yet if parts of her body were removed. But we are waiting for the result of autopsy to determine the cause of the death. ”

Joseph also disclosed that one person, who is a member of the pastor’s church had been arrested in connection with the death of the woman.

He said the suspects was helping the command in the investigation.