Lost 1 Year Old Baby Found In Ritualist Custody

Daniel Ogundele, the father of the 20-
month-old baby, Opeyemi Ogundele, who was
allegedly stolen at a christening ceremony in Ogun
State on Sunday, said his child is still alive in the
den of suspected kidnappers. Ogundele said as at
10:00pm on Monday when he allegedly had a
phone conversation with an Ifa priest, Chief
Olansile Ifayemi, who was accused of
masterminding the mysterious disappearance of
the child has told him that his missing toddler was
alive in his custody.


Ogundele , who spoke with reporters yesterday,
said he had reported the matter to the state police
command headquarters, Eleweran, Abeokuta. The
toddler had on Sunday disappeared mysteriously
during a naming ceremony at Inukosegba village,
near Akorede Estate, Mile II in Abeokuta North
Local Government Area.

The baby was said to have been kidnapped about
1:30pm at the christening organised by the family
of Mr. Olusola Osunleke for their newborn
daughter. In the process of searching for the baby,
residents discovered a suspected ritualists’ den in
the area, which was adjacent to Osunleke’s house.
The discovery made angry residents to storm the
area and vandalise the building, wherein human
body parts, human effigy, fetish objects and
masquerade regalia, among others, were found.

But speaking yesterday, the father of the missing
toddler, said he succeeded in reaching Chief
Ifayemi on telephone on Monday night. Ogundele
stated that the Ifa priest confirmed that the “stolen
baby” was in his custody at Isabo area of
Abeokuta and that the child was alive.

“We got his phone number and called him on
Monday night . The priest said my child was still
alive and with him at Isabo. He claimed that he
was in Isabo area of Abeokuta. This was around
10 pm on Monday. He said nothing is wrong with
my boy. He just asked us to stop people from
destroying his house,” he said.

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations
Officer (PPRO), Muyiwa Adejobi, said he was not
aware of the claims of the toddler’s father that the
baby was with the suspected ritualist.

Adejobi said though the Ifa priest is at large, the
police command had arrested two suspects in
connection with the alleged kidnap. “The prime
suspect is still at large. But two suspects have
been arrested. We have not seen the baby but
investigation is ongoing. We assure the people of
the state that we are going to unravel the mystery
behind the incident.

“On the claims by the baby’s father, we (police) are
not aware. If the man has such an information, I
think he should have told the police, “he said.

Meanwhile, residents of the area where the incident
occurred have cried out for help over alleged
threat by the suspected mastermind of the
kidnapping. Vanguard gathered that, the Chairman
of the Community Development Association in the
area, Kunle Ojewale said he and three others in the
community have been threatened by Ifayemi.
Ojewale who spoke with newsmen on phone said
he had run away from home and relocated to
Mowe in Obafemi-Owode local government. He
said, Chief Ifayemi had called his line and
threatened him for instigating the people against
him. He said he had since relocated to an
undisclosed place in Mowe area. It was also leant
that as 6:30 pm on Tuesday, the house suspected
to be the ritualists den has been demolished by
the angry youth in the area.