A 24-year-old bricklayer, Adedapo Ayobami, has narrated how he burgled the house of an herbalist for failing to complete the money ritual process he initiated.
Ayobami said the herbalist had assured him that he would be wealthy after giving him some soap to take bath with, but expressed disappointment when the herbalist died without completing the ritual rites.
The young man explained that he was devastated after hearing of the native doctor’s demise, prompting him to break into his house and cart away his property.
The suspect, arrested by operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Osun State Command after being allegedly caught with the loot, was hungry and needed to survive before the victim promised to assist him with the ritual.
In an interview after his arrest, Ayobami disclosed that he was begging for alms when the herbalist saw him and offered to assist him with a minor money ritual.
The 24-year-old bricklayer, who resides at number 13, Oja Oba, Osogbo, Osun State, said he had gone to the Osunjela area in Osogbo to meet the herbalist.
“I was begging for money when I saw the man (herbalist). I begged him to give me money and he queried me on why I was begging for alms. I told him that I was hungry and that my bricklaying work has not been moving well. Then, he said he would help me become rich. He said there is a black soap he will give me and that I should use it to take my bath for a month and come back the next month for another soap.
“Unfortunately, when I returned the next month, I was told that the herbalist had died. I was so angry and it was after that I went to the herbalist to steal his television and other things,” the suspect said.
The State Commandant of NSCDC, Michael Adaralewa said the suspect broke into the herbalist’s house at Osunjela, Osogbo and carted away Plasma Television, ten cooking pots, two fry pans, two cable decoders, solar panel with bulbs, curtains and other household items.
He said Ayobami was apprehended on May 23, 2024, at the area, by NSCDC personnel who were on patrol.
Adaralewa said in Ayobami’s confessional statement, the suspect said, before the owner of the house died, he was an herbalist and he gave him traditional soap to improve his financial status.
According to him, he would be collecting the traditional soap on a monthly basis. He went to the herbalist’s house to collect the soap for the month of May, on getting there, he was told the herbalist had died, he went home disappointed.
The following day, he went to the herbalist’s house, checked where he used to keep his key while alive, opened the door and carted away Plasma television, cooking utensils, Solar Panel, bulbs, two different cable decoders and other household items.
Ayobami disclosed that he intended to sell the stolen items to unsuspecting members of the public.
Commandant Adaralewa said the offence contravenes Section 411 of the criminal code Act in Nigeria, which states that any person who breaks and enters the dwelling-house of another with intent to commit a felony therein; or having committed a felony in the dwelling house of another, breaks out of the dwelling-house is guilty of a felony and is liable to imprisonment.
According to the NSCDC boss, investigation revealed that despite the fact that people in the neighbourhood saw the suspect with a load on his head, nobody challenged him.
The commandant then enjoined members of the public to be security conscious, urging them to ask questions and report strange movements in their environment to security agencies.
