The Isese Human Rights Community (ISHRIC) has decried the alarming rise in ritual killings allegedly perpetrated by some Islamic scholars in Yorubaland.
In a recent statement, the group expressed concern over recent incidents involving Islamic clerics caught with human parts, describing these acts as a threat to public safety, particularly for young women and youths.
Citing multiple cases, ISHRIC highlighted the conviction of two clerics, Folorunsho Abdulwahab and his father, Babatunde Folorunso, in Kwara State. The duo was found guilty of exhuming and mutilating the body of Abdulwahab’s friend, Mallam Suleiman Saka, for ritual purposes.
Similarly, the group referenced the arrest of an Islamic cleric, Oluwafemi Idris, in Ondo State for possessing fresh human parts, including kidneys, hearts, and a tongue. Another cleric in Ibadan was also apprehended with a human head and hands intended for rituals.
In another instance, Alfa Ahmed Giga was detained in Apete, Ibadan, for allegedly trading in human parts, a crime linked to the killing of two young girls. Meanwhile, residents of Adamo, Ikorodu, intercepted an Islamic scholar, Babalola, found with a human skull in January 2024.
ISHRIC also recounted the arrest of three clerics in Oyo State—Taofeeq Kabelohun, Rahmon Muibi (known as Alubarika), and another individual—who were caught with human remains in their vehicle. Blood leaking from their car boot had led to their capture.
The most recent case involved Sheikh Abdul-Rahamon Muhammad Bello, accused of murdering a 300-level student from the Kwara State College of Education in Ilorin. The group condemned this act as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by such perpetrators.
While commending the Nigerian Police Force for apprehending the culprits, ISHRIC urged them to remain vigilant in protecting citizens.
The group also called on traditional rulers like the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdul-Rasheed Adewale Akanbi, to denounce these acts and collaborate in eradicating such practices.
“We must create a society where our citizens can live without fear of being killed for ritual purposes,” the statement read.
ISHRIC vowed to continue advocating for justice, stating: “We will not rest until our society is free from the scourge of ritual killings.”
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")