The Delta State Police Command has nabbed a 20-year-old herbalist, Amechi Okwuokenye, and his step-brother for the kidnapping and killing of two persons and recovered bodies in Owa-Alidima, Ika-North East Local Government Area of Delta State

The spokesperson for the command, SP Bright Edafe, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Asaba, the Delta State capital.

He said, “On September 30, 2025, Mr Friday Liberty, 22 years old, visited his herbalist, whom he had known for some time now, but this time, he never returned. The family, who initially didn’t know what happened to their brother, started looking for him.

“The girlfriend of the deceased then informed the family that she heard a conversation about the said Friday Liberty and a certain herbalist, and advised that they should reach out to the said herbalist.

“The family contacted the herbalist, who denied seeing him but promised to do some spiritual incantations so their brother could return alive. Having spent money on the herbalist, and the result was not forthcoming, they then reported the matter at the Agbor Area Command via a petition on October 14, 2025.

“The Area Command detectives embarked on an intelligence-led investigation. During the course of the investigation, the detectives uncovered the last person whom Friday Liberty contacted, and found out it was the same herbalist who denied knowing his whereabouts.”

The PPRO stated that surveillance was laid around the herbalist’s shrine at Owa-Alidima in Ika North East LGA, for days, until he was arrested on October 23, 2025, while hiding inside a refrigerator. Upon arrest of the herbalist, Amechi Okwuokenye, aged 20 years, he confessed that both he and his brother, Smart Okwuokenye, 26, kidnapped the victim, Friday Liberty, and the motorcycle rider identified as Isioma Ugbeje, who carried him to the shrine.

“They further stated that Friday Liberty had been his long-time customer who frequently visited him to hypnotise clients so they could give him money easily (in his words, ‘to tie clients‘). The herbalist said his elder brother approached him that he needed money and advised him to lure any of his clients so they could kidnap him and ask for ransom, and the unlucky person they could lure was Friday Liberty.

“They kidnapped him and the Okada Rider and demanded a ransom of N10 million. When they noticed that the plan was not working, they murdered him and the motorcycle rider and dumped their bodies in a soakaway pit by the shrine”

Edafe stated that the remains of the victims had been evacuated and deposited at the mortuary for autopsy.

“The suspects are in custody, and the remains of the victims have been evacuated and deposited at the mortuary for autopsy.

“The Commissioner of Police, Delta State, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda, assures the public that the command will ensure that justice is served in this case,” Edafe concluded.

The arrest of the Okwuokenye brothers reflects a disturbing pattern of ritual-related killings linked to herbalists across Nigeria.

PUNCH Metro reported in February 2021 that a 28-year-old herbalist was arrested in Bauchi State for allegedly killing four children, aged between two and four, for ritual purposes.

In May, PUNCH Metro reported that the Ogun State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps arrested one Samuel Adewunmi, also known as Ifa Science, for allegedly cutting the body part of a two-month-old baby for ritual purposes.

Experts note that such crimes fall within the wider “money ritual” phenomenon, where individuals seek perceived spiritual means to attract wealth—an issue that has prompted repeated warnings from religious and law-enforcement authorities.

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The Ondo State Police Command on Sunday said it had arrested one Ada Clement for allegedly operating a baby factory in Ore, the headquarters of Odigbo Local Government Area of the state.

According to the Public Relations Officer of the command, Mr Olayinka Ayanlade, in a statement, the men of the command rescued five pregnant underage girls found in the illegal facility..

The police said the suspect sold babies sold N400,000 and above for female children, and N600,000 and above for male children, adding that one of the victims was delivered of a baby boy in the facility.

The statement read, “The Ondo State Police Command has uncovered a suspected baby factory and human trafficking syndicate operating within Ore, Odigbo Local Government Area of the state. The case, which was transferred from the Ore Division to the command’s Gender-Based Violence Unit, is presently under active investigation.

“ The incident came to light on October 21, 2025, at about 7.30 pm, when one Vivian Peter, a 17-year-old girl from Ikot Ekpan, Akwa Ibom State, who is presently pregnant, reported at the Ore Division that she had been trafficked from Akwa Ibom to Ore under the guise of being offered a job opportunity. Upon her arrival in Ore, she was taken to a supposed clinic, which later turned out to be a baby factory, where she met other pregnant girls allegedly being held for exploitation. She further revealed that the owner of the facility, identified as one Ada Clement,  later instructed that she be taken to another hospital in Ore for a medical scan. However, she managed to escape and sought refuge at the Ore Division, where she reported the incident to the police.

“Acting swiftly on the report, operatives from the Ore Division in collaboration with the gender unit raided the said facility, leading to the successful rescue of five pregnant girls and a baby boy. It was discovered that one of the victims had already given birth and is presently receiving post-natal treatment at the General Hospital, Ore, while the remaining rescued victims are in safe protective custody of the police.”

The PPRO added that preliminary investigation had revealed that the suspect, Ada Clement, and her accomplices had confessed to the crime, admitting that the facility was being used as a baby factory, where young pregnant girls were kept until they were delivered, after which their babies were sold to individuals seeking children.

“ It was further discovered that the babies were sold for N400,000 and above for female children, and N600,000 and above for male children,” he noted

To this end, the PPRO said the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Adebowale Lawal, had ordered a full investigation into the incident to ensure that all members of the trafficking ring were apprehended and prosecuted accordingly.

He further disclosed that frantic efforts were ongoing to arrest other fleeing members of the syndicate, who are currently being trailed by detectives from the command’s gender-based violence unit.

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The Akwa Ibom Police Command has described as misleading media reports that armed men raided a students’ lodge, abducted 15 students and carted away valuable properties in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area of the state

A local tabloid report, titled “Unknown gunmen raid students lodge” with a rider, “Abduct 15 students, cart away valuable properties in Ikot-Ekpene,” has generated controversy in Uyo, the state capital.

A statement issued by the command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, in Uyo on Sunday, stated that there was no incident of abduction as reported in the story.

The statement reads in part, “The attention of the Akwa Ibom State Police Command has been drawn to misleading publications in the media that armed men raided a students’ lodge, abducted 15 students and carted away valuable properties in Ikot Ekpene.”

“The command wishes to categorically state that the incident was not an abduction by unknown gunmen and no student was abducted from the lodge.”

“It is imperative to set the record straight and reassure the general public that the operation in question was a lawfully conducted exercise by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Uyo Zonal Office.”

“For clarity, the command on October 24, 2025, at about 0430hrs, received a distress call alleging an armed robbery operation at Ikot Uboh Village, Ikot Ekpene. In a swift response, our teams were mobilised and deployed tactically to the scene, cordoning off the area to engage the supposed threat.”

Furthermore, she claimed that ‘’Upon arrival at the scene and subsequent professional challenge by our officers, it was established that the operatives at the location were from the EFCC, conducting a sanctioned operation. Some persons were arrested by the EFCC during this operation and not abducted as claimed by the media reports.

“While we acknowledge the vital role of the press in society, we urge journalists and media houses to cross-check facts with the Police Command before publishing stories of this nature, as inaccurate reporting is capable of causing unnecessary panic.”

The CP who commended the operatives of the command for their professional conduct urged all law enforcement agencies to synergise with the police when carrying out operations within our Area of Responsibility to prevent such a mix-up.

“Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Akwa Ibom State, CP Baba Mohammad Azare, has commended the officers involved for their professional conduct and restraint, which averted a potential ugly incident.”

“CP Azare also urges all law enforcement agencies to always notify and synergise with the Police as the lead security agency in the state when carrying out operations within our Area of Responsibility to prevent such mix-ups.”

“Our doors are always open to journalists and members of the public who seek to verify any security-related information.”

The command remains resolute in its commitment to ensuring the safety and security of all residents and visitors in Akwa Ibom State.’’

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