The Ogun State Police Command on Wednesday discovered suspected human parts buried inside a church located at Ota area of the state.The Command also police arrested 77 years old pastor, Samuel Babatunde, and three others in connection with the discovery.
Babatunde is said to be the founder of Cherubim and Seraphim Church, Itedo Isinmi Ayo Parish, Egan Road in Iyana-Iyesi area of Ota.
The state Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Iliyasu, who paraded the Pastor in Ota, before reporters, said the discovery followed the arrest, on Saturday, of a suspected serial kidnapper, Jeremiah Adeola.
Iliyasu added that Adeola, 32, specialised in abducting children and had confessed that the pastor of the ‘Aladura’ church was a receiver of the abducted children.
According to the Police Commissioner, another suspect – a 43-year-old herbalist, Haruna Afolabi, was the one who allegedly buried the human parts at the entrance of the church.
He explained that the Operatives attached to the Police Area Command in Ota on Sunday received intelligence on Adeola about his alleged criminal conduct and eventually apprehended him.
“On the strength of the intelligence, detectives from Ota Area Command were detailed to effect the arrest of the suspect; and at about 10:20am of the date, their efforts paid off when the said Jeremiah Adeola was promptly arrested.
“On interrogation, he confessed being a serial kidnapper and mentioned a prophet of a white garment church as the receiver of the kidnapped children.
“Upon his revelation, he was taken to the house/church of the said prophet at Iyana-Iyesi Ota, where one Prophet Samuel Babatunde, 67 years, a pastor in charge of the church and one Haruna Afolabi, 42 years, a traditional worshiper, were arrested.
“The floor of the church was dug as described by the first suspect, and parts suspected strongly to be human parts were dug out there in,” Iliyasu said.
He noted that the police would conduct forensic investigation into the case, assuring that those found culpable of the crime would also be brought to justice.
“Ogun State will never be a safe haven for criminals,” he said.
However, the arrested pastor Babatunde had denied the allegation levelled against him, saying the items found in his church were remains of a pig buried there.
The Pastor explained that he buried the animal there to attract bright fortune, prosperity and comfort on worshippers at the church.
Babatunde revealed that he met Adeola at a prayer mountain in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, but never had any ritualist dealing with him, accusing Adeola of having psychological problems.
But Adeola insisted that Babatunde was the receiver of some kidnapped children and that the pastor paid him N50,000 each for two children supplied to him.
Adeola added that one Olaniyi, still at large, introduced him to kidnapping business in 2013 in Ibadan, where they often kidnap their victims via a commercial vehicle.
