Two suspects arrested in connection to missing baby

                                                        
Following the kidnap of 20-month-old toddler, Opeyemu Ogundele , during his christening ceremony last Sunday in Ogun State, two suspects have been arrested.

This was made known by the state Police Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, during an interview with journalists in Abeokuta on Tuesday.

Daniel Ogundele, the father of the kidnapped baby, believes his son “is still alive and still in the custody of the suspected ritualists.”

Ogundele said this at the Iwe Irohin, Oke Ilewo secretariat of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, Ogun State Council, in Abeokuta on Tuesday.

He said he had a telephone chat with the Ifa priest/herbalist, Chief Olasile Ifayemi, allegedly fingered in the mysterious disappearance of the child, on Monday night,  and he claimed that the missing toddler was alive in his custody at Isabo in Abeokuta.

He said, “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 10pm on Monday. He said nothing is wrong with my boy. He just asked us to stop people from destroying his house.”

He explained further that he had reported the matter to the state police command headquarters, Eleweran, Abeokuta.

Opeyemi had accompanied her mother, Elizabeth Ogundele, to the christening ceremony of his cousin before his sudden disappearance.

The abduction later led to ‎the discovery of a suspected ritualists’ den in the area, which happened to be a building belonging to Ifayemi.

Angry residents in the area quickly vandalised the building, uncovering human body parts, human effigy, fetish objects and masquerade regalia among others were found.

Adejobi,  a Deputy Superintendent of Police, however, said he was not aware of the claims of the toddler’s father.

He said though the Ifa priest was at large, the police command had arrested two suspects in connection with the alleged kidnapping.

The PPRO said:

“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.‎”