As part of the activities to mark the 65th Independence Anniversary, Governor Ademola Adeleke granted amnesty to 36 convicts serving various jail terms in both Ilesa and Ife correctional facilities.
A statement by Olawale Rasheed on Wednesday announced that 36 convicts were granted pardon in celebrating Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary. The government did not specify their offences.
Analysis of the list by InsightMedia has revealed that a herbalist, Kehinde Ganiyu, who confessed to slitting his friend’s throat for money ritual, was among the pardoned inmates.
Ganiyu was facing a murder charge after he confessed that he used his Ghanaian friend for money ritual soap.
He was paraded in July 2024 by the Osun State Police Command.
During the parade, the then Police Public Relations Officer, Yemisi Opalala said Ganiyu was arrested on July 9 and confessed to killing his friend.
She said, “On 18th July 2024 at about 3:00 pm, upon information received by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) Oke-Odo Division Osogbo that, on the same date at about 2:30 pm a Ghanaian named Emmanuel Collins ‘m’ about 35yrs old was killed by a yet to be identified individual, Police detectives swung into action and through an intelligence-led investigation, one Kehinde Ganiyu ‘m’ intimate friend to the deceased was arrested.
“He confessed to the commission of the heinous crime and stated that, on 9th July 2024, at about 9:00 pm, he went to the deceased’s residence with a knife where he met him sleeping because he was sick. He slaughtered the deceased with the kitchen knife and removed his throat.
“He added further that, he dried the throat for three days before he took it to a bush called Igbo Imese Aiwosi Area, located at Oba-Oke village where he burnt it in a clay pot with some ritual materials and later mixed the burnt powder with soap for money ritual (OSOLE).
“He confessed to having single-handedly carried out the operation.”
Responding to questions from journalists, Kehinde, who claimed to be an herbalist, admitted killing the deceased, adding that he used the throat for money ritual soap.
He said “I am a herbalist. The deceased was my friend. I could not tell what came over me. I met him sick, and I attacked him and killed him for a money ritual. The devil pushed me to kill my friend for a money ritual. After killing him, I removed his throat and used it to prepare a soap for money ritual, which I had. I have done similar soap for four Yahoo boys before. Devil pushed me to do it.”
Residents of the State have been calling on Governor Adeleke to immediately review the list as a suspected murderer should not be granted pardon.
Kamiludeen Lamina, the Executive Director of World Institute for Peace, said the pardon is raising a serious security concerns.
Lamina wrote, “Among those pardoned, one is a suspected notorious armed robber specializing in vehicle theft, another is a well-known suspected cultist arrested with firearms after several criminal activities, while a third was prosecuted alongside his gang for killing an elderly woman who worked as a laborer (popularly known as e mu mi – e mu mi) for bricklayers in Osogbo. This woman was tragically shot dead at Orisunmibare Market, Osogbo, simply because she crossed the road while the gang rode towards Old Garage Roundabout.”
He believes the Governor might have been misled by some individuals around him.
“Your Excellency, I strongly believe that you may have been misinformed about the serious nature of the offences committed by these individuals. I therefore urge you to urgently review this amnesty and the pardon extended to these three suspected criminals who are still awaiting trial.
“This matter raises further concern because, in a previous pardon exercise, a police officer, who was arrested and prosecuted for selling over 250 rounds of ammunition to armed robbers, was also released, despite repeated public appeals against such a decision. Sadly, the calls of the people were not acknowledged by you.”
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