TikTok Encounter With Witch Doctor: 20-Year-Old Admits To Killing Kogi Student For Ritual Sacrifice

TikTok Encounter With Witch Doctor: 20-Year-Old Admits To Killing Kogi Student For Ritual Sacrifice

The Kogi State Police Command has arrested four individuals in connection with the murder of Damilola Olowoyo, a 19-year-old student from the Federal University Lokoja (FUL). The suspects, Jeremiah Paul, Emmanuel Otitoju, Banabas Olugbenga, and Ajayi Basit Ayomide, were paraded at the Police Headquarters in Lokoja on Friday.

According to Police Public Relations Officer SP William Ovye Aya, Jeremiah Paul, the primary suspect, enticed Olowoyo into a secluded area and killed her as part of a money ritual. Aya detailed the investigation, revealing that a report about Olowoyo’s disappearance prompted immediate action from the Commissioner of Police, who assigned the case to the State Intelligence Department. After examining the victim’s phone, which was unreachable, and with assistance from the technical unit at Force Headquarters, Paul was apprehended.

Paul confessed that on September 4, 2024, he lured Olowoyo under the pretense of friendship. He provided her with a drink laced with codeine, which rendered her weak and unable to resist. He then took her to an uncompleted building, strangled her, and dismembered her body, removing her eyes, lungs, liver, tongue, and buttocks for ritual purposes. He initially demanded a ransom of N400,000 from her parents before killing her.

Further investigation revealed that another suspect had initially approached Olowoyo but withdrew due to inability to meet the demands. Paul, accompanied by a friend from Kaduna State, then proceeded with the crime.

SP Aya urged parents and students to be vigilant about their associations, warning that seemingly ordinary individuals may harbor malicious intentions. He emphasized the need for caution, stating, “This barbaric act by Jeremiah Paul and his accomplices highlights the need for heightened awareness. Students should be wary of their peers and acquaintances, as some may not have genuine intentions.”

Aya also warned criminals in Kogi State that the police and security agencies are closely monitoring criminal activities. He assured that anyone involved in criminal acts will face prosecution and urged the public to support the efforts to keep the state safe.

Jeremiah Paul, aged 20 and from Chikun Local Government in Kaduna State, admitted to the crime in his confession. He explained that he planned the ritualistic murder after meeting Olowoyo via TikTok and subsequently contacted a native doctor in Ibadan. Paul detailed how he used codeine and Sprite to incapacitate Olowoyo, then performed the ritualistic acts as instructed by the native doctor.