The Ogun State Police Command detectives detained 35-year-old suspect Akeem after he claimed to have killed 18-year-old Quadri Salami, a student at Obafemi Awolowo University, in order to obtain body parts for sale. Akeem then disclosed that he had learned how to use human heads from Facebook forums.
In a Saturday interview with the Nigerian Tribune, Akeem disclosed this information.
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Remember that Akeem was taken into custody following the detectives’ adoption of a technical inquiry and intelligence collecting strategy.
On Wednesday, December 6, 2023, the Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alamutu, led a team to the suspect’s home in Mile 6, Ajebo district of Abeokuta, the state capital, and discovered the deceased’s decaying body parts in a shallow grave.
Speaking about the development, police spokeswoman SP Omolola Odutola revealed that on November 14, around six days after his son’s last sighting, the deceased’s father reported his missing son to the Kemta Police station.
According to the PPRO, the father informed the police that he hadn’t seen his son since November 8 and that all of his attempts to find him had been ineffective.
She went on to say that the report prompted intelligence gathering, which paid off in the form of Akeem’s arrest, who is the person to whom the missing boy’s phone was traced.
Following questioning, Akeem allegedly confessed to killing the teenage student and dismembering his body in order to sell Ifaniyi, another native doctor, and other potential purchasers.
Further information revealed that after dismembering Quadri, Akeem phoned Ifaniyi and gave him the skull and a palm, while Ifaniyi sent N130,000 into Akeem’s account in exchange for the body parts.
Akeem allegedly burned Quadri’s clothes and tossed away his phone and shoes in order to conceal his illegal deed. Not satisfied, Akeem apparently buried the bucket of leftover body parts until they were required for use or purchase, soaked them in alcohol, and placed the bucket in the ground. Nevertheless, Saturday Tribune has learned that throughout the course of the investigators’ investigation and search, one of his pairs of shoes was discovered not too far from Akeem’s residence.
The suspects are presently being investigated further at the State Criminal Investigation Department in Eleweran, Abeokuta, and SP Odutola stated that they will undoubtedly face charges when the investigations are over.
Originating from Osun State, Akeem claimed to have moved to Abeokuta in 2014.
“I am a native doctor,” said the married father of three children. I used to sell phones and accessories before I was one. My paternal grandmother encouraged me to learn divination in 2015 because she didn’t want the practice to go from her family’s history. I travelled to Sagamu to be with her. After my grandma passed away, I went back to Abeokuta and sought out local physicians who were knowledgeable with the procedure to find out more. In 2018, I began practicing it.
“Among other things, I opened doors for success (asina), broke spiritual bonds (atude), cared for diabetic patients (egbo adaajina), made fortunes (asiri bibo), and other things. To produce the traditional medicines for awure, asiri bibo, and other ailments, I was utilising the heads of pythons, cobras, dogs, and oketes, among others, mixed to herbs and roots.
“We were not instructed to use human heads in our training in divination or local medicine. After I joined the groups, Facebook accounts taught me about it. They would jot down ideas for rituals, which I would then replicate and put in writing. This occurred roughly three years ago.
“I began employing dried human skull fragments that I received from other indigenous physicians. To make aseje, I would powder them and combine it with local black soap (d:d:r). We would simply ask other indigenous medical professionals whether they had “ajiyo (r:r:d)”—pieces of a dried human skull that are indecipherable to outside medical professionals.
“I received two human heads from Ifayemi, a native physician. He’s currently evading capture. Ifaniyi, another native doctor, informed me that he required them before I received them. I informed Ifayemi, and he brought it and demanded N50,000 when he got one. Ifaniyi got it from me. That was this past July. In September, he brought the second one for Ifaniyi. He paid an additional N50,000 for it. I had no idea how Ifayemi obtained the heads.
“Ahmed was the man teaching Quadri how to barbeque. In the shop, too, I used to barb. The boss contacted me one day and said he had been instructed to give Quadri rituals to the deity of iron (bo ogun). Quadri was provided by the barber, and I finished the job.
The boy approached me two weeks later and asked me to make him a fortune soap. He admitted to me that he was a yahoo person, but the foreigners he was conniving did not pay him enough. The employer was unaware that he was visiting me. For him, I made “asina” soap with a candle inserted in the middle, lizard, and herbs. He walked to my garden to take a bath with the soap after lighting the candle. It was October at the time.
“He informed me that the job was not progressing as he had hoped. To accomplish the work, I urged him to hunt for N70,000. After two weeks, he returned and stated he was unable to obtain any money, pleading with me to assist him. I promised to manufacture some charms (eyonu d:m:m and atude r:m:d) that would work in his favour, so I told him to come back in a week.
After a few days, Ifaniyi called to ask whether I had another human head; otherwise, I should notify him so that he might have it from the native doctor who typically obtained it for me. When Quadri arrived on November 8, I offered him some prepared soap so he could take a spiritual bath in my backyard. I slipped into the backyard from the side when he was taking a bath and gave him a machete blow to the neck from behind.
“I hit him again, cutting his skull, and he dropped down instantly. I then severed his hands and palms before mutilating additional bodily parts. I cleaned up the blood in my home as though nothing had occurred. That was around 3:30 p.m. My spouse and kids weren’t home. Around 4 p.m., I contacted Ifaniyi, and he arrived to pick up the head and a palm. For the head, he paid N100,000, and for the palm, N30,000. He paid N130,000 total. He was unaware that I had murdered the person whose body parts he had obtained.
“After learning of my involvement, cops visited my home on December 6, and I told them everything. I see now how terrible what I did was. All I ask for is God’s pardon.
Ifaniyi, the second suspect, who bought Quadri’s head and palm, also described his role, claiming he was unaware that Akeem had killed someone in order to obtain the head for himself.
The 28-year-old father of one gave this account of the events: “My hometown is Abeokuta. At Ita Oshin, I reside. I was raised in a household that practiced divination and never went to school. In addition to what I learned from my parents, I also visited other native doctors when I was younger. We used to carry out ceremonies to purify heads (ori bibo) and offer sacrifices at our worship sites (ojubo) for Ifa, Esu, and Ogun. Typically, we use chicken, salt, wine, and palm oil to placate (bo) esu.
“I used to know him when he used to sell phones and accessories. If someone didn’t have any money, he would even give them a phone or accessories for free. That’s how kind he was. He was also coming to me for sacrifices (aajo and irubo) and divination (da ifa). Later on, he went to his paternal grandmother to learn divination. He told me that before he began practicing, someone used to bring human heads to him to be bought. When the person had one, I told him to help me acquire it.
“I opened ways for myself by using the human heads (asina).” During our training, we were not instructed to use human parts. Our knowledge of it came via social media. Regretfully, I didn’t see any improvement.
“He promised to phone me the day before to let me know that the customary supply would be bringing the last human head he supplied me, which got me into problems. The next day, he performed as instructed and reported that the body from which the components were taken had recently been excavated. I spent N130,000.
When I examined the nylon the next day, I discovered that the head and palm were still fresh. When I called my colleague, I wanted to know if he was certain that the body had been excavated and not murdered. He reiterated that it was dug out, probably the same day it was buried.
“To create the charm, I burned the head and palm in a black pottery container with a turtle (ijapa), an ega bird, alligator pepper (ataare), and certain herbs (ewe oge d:d) until they turned to powder. I prepared it for a bath by combining it with local soap. But before I could use it, I was arrested.
Ahmed, the thirty-year-old barber who apprenticed Quadri before his murder, claimed to have known Akeem as a client and a diviner but never imagined he could carry out such a deed.
Ahmed claims, “My hometown is Abeokuta. Quadri was picking up tips from me as I run a barbershop and am a parent of two. Usually, he would visit during his school breaks. In September, as Osun devotees passed by and began blessing us, we were inside the shop. As a thank you for the prayers, Quadri and I exchanged cash.
“They left the store and turned around to ask for the owner,” they said abruptly. I claimed to be the one. Due to a family matter, they sought me to advise Quadri to offer sacrifices to Ogun. Quadri heard it himself. I had Akeem, also known as Ogbon, visit my shop that same evening. When I informed him what the Osun worshippers had told us, he suggested that I let him go home and conduct further research.
When I called him later to get his opinion, he indicated that we ought to follow instructions. For the ceremonies, he recommended using chicken, palm oil, and booze; Quadri covered the costs of these. Two days later, we went to his place and carried out the rituals. After only an hour with him, we left to return to the store. After two or three weeks, Quadri informed me that he wanted to be at home to get ready for returning to school. I bid him farewell and advised him to exercise caution in his life.
“Quadri’s father visited my shop after nearly a month to inquire about whether I had seen his son. The inquiry shocked me, so I asked him if the youngster had returned to school yet. He told me. In response, the father said that they were attempting to raise funds so that he could attend school. The father informed me that his son had left the house, saying he was going to Oke Ilewo to work on his SIM card and would be stopping by my shop for some food. I informed him that Quadri was not present at the store.
“When I tried to contact his number, it was not connecting. I recall the father asking me if I thought Quadri was a yahoo boy. I retorted that if I claimed he wasn’t, I would be lying. I showed the father his pricey phones, which I could never buy, even before he began his apprenticeship with me. The father walked away.
“I informed Akeem about Quadri over the phone. He said he was surprised because he had assumed he had returned to school. The boy hadn’t visited his residence since the previous time I went with him, he claimed. He promised to get an update from Ifa. Later, when I got a call from him, he told me that the youngster was still alive and had gone outside to play.
“I discussed the search for Quadri to a customer who stopped by my shop. He told me to phone a preacher to find out more about Quadri and provided me his number. The pastor stated he would like to talk to his parents when I called. I sent Quadri’s mother the number.
“On December 6, as I was sitting in front of my shop, police arrived to take me into custody. I saw Akeem in the police van when I arrived inside. Afterwards, I discovered that he was the one who killed Quadri and parted with his body.
