Suspected Cultists K!ll Ogun Barber

A 30-year-old barber, Toheeb Folarin, has been killed by suspected cult members, in Obantoko, Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

The victim was shot inside his barbershop when suspected cultists stormed the premises around 10 PM on Tuesday.

The spokesperson of the command, Omolola Odutola, who confirmed the incident to Punch on Thursday, January 9, said that the victim was found inside his workshop with a gunshot wound to the left chest and his left wrist severed, lying in a pool of blood.

She explained that the gruesome nature of the crime escalated tensions in the area, necessitating the intervention of security personnel to restore order.

The PPRO added that normalcy had been restored and investigations into the murder were ongoing.

“The tragic incident occurred on January 7, 2025, at approximately 10:10 PM. The police station received information about the crime through members of the public, specifically from Jimoh Afolabi, a community leader, and Omotosho Basiru, a relative of the deceased,” she said.

“Upon receiving the report, a team of detectives led by Divisional Police Officer CSP Akindipe Michael, alongside a joint patrol team from the Adatan Area Command and the Anti-Cultism Unit, swiftly visited the crime scene.”

She noted that efforts made by the police to move the corpse to the mortuary were resisted by a group of about 300 agitated youths, who insisted on burying the victim according to Islamic rites on the second day.

Odutola added that the victim’s family had also submitted a letter of withdrawal from further police investigations, promising to support their claim with an affidavit.

She said the command was determined to apprehend the perpetrators of this heinous crime, urging residents to provide any useful information that could help in bringing the suspects to justice.