Cleric nabbed for stoning 3-year-old boy to death

A popular Muslim cleric known as Kazeem Alimson has been arrested for killing a three-year-old boy, Chiagozie Okereke at the White Sand area of Isheri-Oshun, Ejigbo, Lagos, reports Punch.

The Alfa as popularly called reportedly paid a 15-year-old boy, Simon Kanu, N500 to lure the baby, adding that the three-year-old boy was killed with a heavy stone in his presence.

The mother of the deceased’s narrated that her baby went missing around 7:00pm on Tuesday after his evening bath.

 “When I finished bathing the younger one, I went inside to get the wrapper to strap him in order to enable me bathe the other child. But on getting outside, I didn’t see my baby again. The sister said he went into my neighbor’s house but I didn’t see him there and when I asked, they said he went out with Simon.

“I called my son’s name but there was no response. Later, we saw Simon that night, I asked him about the whereabouts of my son, and he said he did not see him. Simon took my son, strangled him with his shirt and stoned him to death. He is my third child. I feel hurt. My heart is broken. I need justice.” She explained.

Furthermore, a primary six pupil, Simon, revealed during an interrogation session that the Alfa took him and the child to an uncompleted building where the boy was murdered with a heavy stone.

“I went to site and I saw how he killed Chigozie,” he said.

“He tied him up and was making incantation before hitting him with a stone three times. He said he would kill me if I told anybody. He also showed me his juju knife and that he would use it to kill me if I told anyone.”

However, the cleric debunked the allegation, claiming that he is not a ritualist but a cult member.

He narrated his own side of the story saying, “I was in my house sleeping when I heard people shouting. When I came out, I saw some policemen and when I asked, I was told that they saw a dead child. I went back inside, and 30 minutes later, the police came back and arrested me. I don’t know the boy and I have never spoken to him.”

At this point, the teenager interjected and said, “You are lying. He was giving me sign with his eyes not to talk. I saw you when you were using the stone to hit him until he died.”

The Isheri Osun Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Emeodi Camilus, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) said he rushed to the scene and arrested the two suspects after he got a tip-off, revealing that the boy’s dead body was found in the suspect’s house after a search was conducted.