A 39-year-old fruit seller, Dolapo Babalola, has confessed on how he killed his cousin and four of his friends for rituals at Okeigbo, in Ile-Oluji/Okeigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State.

Babalola, who was paraded alongside 18 other suspected criminals, said that he used their body parts for rituals.

While answering questions from journalists, Babalola recounted how he killed his victims and dismembered their bodies for rituals.

According to the suspect, he always attacked motorcyclists by snatching their bikes from them and thereafter, killed them when his victims recognized him.

He added that he attacked his victims with stones and sticks whenever they recognized him after dragging their motorcycles with them.

He said he had been in the illicit business since 2021, adding that they carried out their operations within the town and the neighbouring states.

“I have killed five persons, including my cousin and my friend and snatched their motorcycles. I killed Opeyemi, who was my friend and sold the motorcycle to one man in Ibadan called Toheed.

“I do not sell human parts but I took part of one of my victims’ bodies to an herbalist in Ondo, who promised to give me an Ifa Oracle.

“At the point where we snatch motorcycles, anyone who struggles with me in the process gets hit on the head with a big stone and a stick,” Babalola said.

While parading the suspects, the state Commissioner of Police, Abayomi Oladapo, said: “Sequel to the arrest of one Babalola Daniel, who led police detectives to a shallow grave at Okeigbo where the corpse of Opeyemi Oyelakin, a commercial motorcyclist was exhumed, other suspects have been arrested in connection with the case.”

“Further investigation revealed that the suspect had killed four persons in various locations and stolen their motorcycles.

“In April 2023, he killed a motorcyclist in Kabba, Kogi State and Ife along Ilesha road in Osun State and removed some parts from the corpse for rituals.

“In June 2023, he killed another motorcyclist at Ondo town and dumped the corpse in a farm at Oboto bush along Bolorunduro road, Ondo town, while in October 2023, the suspect and one Sikiru Mutiu, aka S.K deceived his childhood friend by name Joel Olagoke to take them with his motorcycle to a location where he was killed, his body dismembered and handed to herbalists: Mujeeb Lawal and Shina Ojo (both in police custody), for rituals,” he added.