A 35-year-old man, identified as Abayomi Babalola, was apprehended by operatives of the Amotekun Corps in Osun State following allegations of using occult practices to ensnare a married woman as a captive for three weeks.
In a statement released in Osogbo on Wednesday, Yusuf Idowu, the spokesperson for Osun Amotekun Corps, disclosed the arrest. Idowu explained that Babalola, a resident of Modakeke, allegedly utilized a mystical ring obtained from a cleric to compel the victim, known only as Sofiyat, to leave her husband’s residence and relocate to Modakeke, where she was subjected to sexual exploitation.
The Amotekun spokesperson further revealed that Babalola’s luck ran out last Friday when he abandoned Sofiyat by the roadside in Campus Area, Ile-Ife. Subsequently, upon regaining her senses, Sofiyat raised an alarm, attracting the attention of nearby Amotekun operatives.
Following Sofiyat’s account of her ordeal, Amotekun operatives tracked down Babalola to his hideout in Sekona and arrested him.
Providing insight into the case, Idowu stated, “The suspect confessed that sometime in September 2023, the victim, Sofiyat, approached him to help her sell her palm oil because that is the business he does. Along the line, he asked her out, but she refused him, saying she was married.”
“Babalola later sought assistance from a herbalist in Sekona, who provided him with charms. Claiming that the charms enabled him to control Sofiyat, he allegedly coerced her to leave her marital home,” Idowu added.
Brig. Gen. Bashir Adewinmbi (retd.), the Commander of Osun Amotekun Corps, affirmed that Babalola employed mystical means to manipulate the victim. Adewinbi further stated that Babalola had been handed over to the Department of State Services for further investigation and prosecution.
