Woman’s fingers sold for N15,000

Suspect’s Name: Olajide Alaka

Age: 18

Address: No 8, Tapa Street, Abaranje, Ikotun, Lagos State

Education: Ikotun Primary School and Edunjobi Private Secondary School

Trade: Plumber

SUNDAY PUNCH: Who contracted you to kill the woman?

Alaka: It was Saheed.

SUNDAY PUNCH: How did you get to know Saheed?

Alaka: I went to do some plumbing work in his house a few months ago and that was how I met him. I saw him in my neighbourhood frequently and greeted him. One day, he called me and said that he needed the hands of a woman and that he wanted me to get them for him. I was initially shocked and told him that I couldn‘t do it.

SUNDAY PUNCH: At what stage did you make up your mind to get the hands for him?

Alaka: Saheed kept on pestering me, so, I told him that I would discuss it with Ayo, a friend of mine. When I told Ayo about it, he expressed shock and rejected the idea. We then went to see Saheed together. When we got to Saheed‘s house, Ayo told him that we couldn‘t get the hands for him. Saheed then stood up, went into his room and brought out a bottle of alcoholic wine. He chanted some incantations and gave it to us. We drank it. After that, he brought out the horn of a cow and said more incantations. He then ordered us to get him the human parts and that if we told anyone we would go mad. Saheed promised to pay us N60,000.

SUNDAY PUNCH: So, you were given N60,000 to kill a woman and get her fingers?

Alaka: Saheed did not even give us the N60,000. When I went to collect advance money the following day (before getting the job done), he gave me N13,000. Ayo and I then went to Ikotun market and spent the money. After Ayo bought a phone worth N2,000, he said that he wasn‘t sure he could do what Saheed requested. I then went to report Ayo to Saheed that he wasn‘t willing to cooperate. Saheed called Ayo and threatened him and said that after spending the money, Ayo wanted to abscond. Saheed asked us to meet him at Aso Rock Hotel at Ikotun. He then gave us additional N2,000.

SUNDAY PUNCH: How did you get the lady that you murdered?

Alaka: Ayo spoke with one of the prostitutes at Aso Rock Hotel, while I went to Tonette Hotel to get a room. The manager of Tonette Hotel said the room was N3,000, but I bargained and paid N2,500. The manager did not ask for my name or address. I went into the room and hid a cutlass there. I now went back to meet Ayo and the lady in front of Aso Rock Hotel and we all went to Tonette Hotel.

SUNDAY PUNCH: So, after both of you had sex with her, you murdered her?

Alaka: I did not sleep with her. Ayo slept with her twice and I laid on the floor. She was exhausted after then and slept off. When she was sleeping, I held her mouth and slaughtered her with the cutlass, while Ayo held her hands for me. I then cut her ten fingers and kept them in a polythene bag. We left the hotel room and went to Saheed‘s house immediately. He collected the hands from us and told us to go. After then, anytime I asked him for the balance of our money, he would say that there was no money.

SUSPECT’S Name: Ayodele Onojobi

Age: 21

Address: No 36, Taiwo Street, Abaranje, Ikotun, Lagos State

Education: Bethlehem Private School

Trade: Electrician

SUNDAY PUNCH: How did you meet Alaka and Saheed?

Onojobi: Alaka told me about it and when we went to meet Saheed, he chanted some incantations that made me lose my senses. The first day we went to Saheed‘s house, we met one Mr. Friday in his house. Saheed said that it was Friday that needed the hands. It was Friday that brought the wine that we drank. It was also Friday that insisted that we must swear to an oath not to reveal it to anyone.

SUNDAY PUNCH: Alaka said you were the one that got the prostitute that both of you killed?

Onojobi: It is true. That day was October 26, 2010. We all met in front of Aso Rock Hotel. Friday was there too. We were then asked to get some sand from the road and Saheed chanted incantations that we will run mad if we disclosed what we were about to do to anyone. After then, I spoke to one of the prostitutes at the hotel and she said she was going to collect N4,000. I gave her N3,000 immediately and promised to give her the balance after.

SUNDAY PUNCH: So, when you got to the hotel, you held her hands while Alaka slaughtered her?

Onojobi: When we got to the hotel, we ordered two bottles of alcohol and cigarette. The lady drank and smoked; then I slept with her twice. She gave me the condoms that I used and when I finished, I threw the condoms on the floor. When the prostitute slept off, Alaka stood up, brought out the cutlass from where he hid it and pounced on her. The lady struggled with the cutlass until she died. I held her hands when she was struggling with Alaka. After Alaka had cut her hands, he washed the cutlass; kept the fingers in a black bag and we left the hotel room. Alaka hid the hands in his private part and left the hotel around 4a.m. No one saw us leave.

SUSPECT’S Name: Saheed Aju (married with a son)

Age: 22

Address: 5, Olanrewaju Street, Ijegun, Ikotun, Lagos State

Trade: Cobbler; musician

SUNDAY PUNCH: How did you get to know Friday?

Aju: Friday is my friend. He is a mechanic. He came to me one day and said the he needed the hands of a woman.

SUNDAY PUNCH: That means that you also supply human parts?

Aju: Friday knows that my brother is a herbalist. Everyone knows that. In fact, where I live is my brother‘s office - where he does his herbalist trade. Friday said he was going to pay N60,000. I just told Alaka about it and he promised to bring his friend. All the incantations I said did not mean anything; I just did all that to scare them.

SUNDAY PUNCH: When did you give the hands to Friday?

Aju: Immediately I collected the hands from Alaka and Onojobi, I called Friday and he came for it that morning. To my surprise, Friday brought the hands back to my house the following day and said that the hands did not work. He then called a man on the phone and left my place. I have not seen him since then.