Teenager murders 12-year-old girl for money ritual

Many people at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba, Lagos State, were shocked on Tuesday as an 18-year-old  man narrated how he strangled a 12-year-old girl for money ritual.

The suspect, Ikechukwu Friday, said he had gone to beg a pastor for money when the pastor instructed him to kill a young girl and obtain her faeces.

He said the pastor promised him N100, 000 if he was able to accomplish the task.

He said, “I attend a popular church around Ketu Street, Aguda, but I live with my parents in Badagry. I just finished secondary school and I have been very broke. So, I approached the pastor for money, but he told me that I should strangulate a little girl.

“He explained that while strangulating the girl, she would pass out faeces in the throes of death. The pastor said I should obtain the faeces and bring it to him. He said if I could do this, he would give me N100,000.

“On December 30, 2013, I approached a young girl, Bose Ogoja. Her mother sells food in Badagry and I usually patronise them; so she trusted me. I told the girl that I wanted to show her something and she should follow me. I took her to an abandoned NITEL building and locked the door.

“I squeezed her neck and truly, she passed out faeces. I was, however, not able to get the faeces because I was caught before I could escape.”

The suspect, an indigene of Onitsha, Anambra State, pleaded for mercy adding that this was his first crime.

Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, said the suspect was arrested by neighbours in the area and handed over to the Badagry Police Division.

Braide said the pastor, who allegedly gave the suspect the instruction had been arrested and was already cooperating with the police.

While displaying the gruesome picture of the slain girl, Braide said, “He was arrested in an uncompleted building. The security guard manning the building told the police that he saw the Friday entering the building with a 12-year-old girl.

“He said a few minutes later, he heard the girl screaming and later saw the boy leaving. The security guard raised the alarm and the neighbours were alerted and they arrested the suspect. On entering the building, they discovered that the girl was dead.

Eniola Akinkuotu