Wickedness:Alfa stoned 3 year old to death

A three-year-old child, Chiagozie Okereke has fallen victim to a Muslim cleric, Kazeem Alimson who allegedly murdered him for rituals at the White Sand area of Isheri-Oshun in Ejigbo area of Lagos State.

A 15-year-old primary six pupil, Simon Kanu, confessed to have been paid N500 by the Kazeem known as Alfa to lure the baby, adding that the toddler was killed with a heavy stone in his presence.

On how her son got missing, Chiagozie Okereke’s mother, Mrs. Chinasa Okereke, said:

“Around 7:00p.m. yesterday (Tuesday), I brought my children out to bathe him.

“When I finished bathing the younger one, I went inside to get the wrapper to strap him in order to enable me bathe the other child. But on getting outside, I didn’t see my baby again. The sister said he went into my neighbour’s house but I didn’t see him there and when I asked, they said he went out with Simon.

“I called my son’s name but there was no response. Later, we saw Simon that night, I asked him about the whereabouts of my son, he said he did not see him. Simon took my son, strangled him with his shirt and stoned him to death. He is my third child. I feel hurt. My heart is broken. I need justice.

Policemen from the Isheri-Osun Division, who were contacted the next day (Wednesday) stormed the area and effected the arrest of the teenager, his guardians and other occupants of the building.

During interrogation, Simon revealed how he took the missing child to Alfa Alimson who gave him N500, thereby leading to the latter’s arrest.

He led policemen to an uncompleted building within the area, where the remains of the missing boy was found— gagged, with his limbs bound.

According to the primary six pupil:

“I went to the site, saw how he killed Chigozie. He tied him up and was making incantation before hitting him with a stone three times. He said he would kill me if I told anybody. He also showed me his juju knife and that he would use it to kill me if I told anyone.”

The cleric denied the allegation, claiming that he is not a ritualist but a cult member. He said:

“I was in my house sleeping when I heard people shouting. When I came out, I saw some policemen and when I asked, I was told that they saw a dead child. I went back inside, and 30 minutes later, the police came back and arrested me. I don’t know the boy and I have never spoken to him.”

However, the teenager interjected and said,

“You are lying. He was giving me sign with his eyes not to talk. I saw you when you were using the stone to hit him until he died.”

When news men visited the scene, hundreds of residents besieged Akogun Street, giving different versions of what happened. But for the police intervention, the angry residents would have summarily executed the Alfa in another incidence of jungle justice.

At the scene was the Divisional Police Officer of Isheri Oshun, who was on ground to pacify the crowd from taking laws into their own hands.

Eye witness reports has it that the DPO said,

“When the police became involved, I directed that all the persons involved be arrested, including the boy. It was after he was picked up that he confessed.

“He led us to the Alfa and we arrested him. We searched his house and the environs. We found the boy dead in the uncompleted building. He said they tied his hand and leg with red clothes and while muttering incantations, stoned the deceased three times before he died.”