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Last year in October, the Osun State Police Command made a startling discovery of a shrine at Mosarajo village, in Osun State, built purposely to swindle undetecting people who are seeking spiritual help from traditional doctors.
For those who are not strong hearted, a visit to the shrine would send shivers down their spine while they are likely to have nightmares over and over again because of the scary images and fetish objects found within the premises.
Information revealed that the hideout, built deep into the bush, by one Aliyu Mutairu, a.k.a. Abu Ragbaja an indigene of Inisa town, Osun State, was discovered when a part of his fence collapsed and some of the images were sighted by those who passed by the fenced structure.
The Assistant Commissioner of Police Mohammed Jimoh reportedly led detectives to Lamecco area, Ilobu road where Aliyu Mutairu, suspected to be the owner of the shrine was arrested.
After the discovery and arrest of the owner, police detectives, led by the Assistant Commissioner of Police, visited the shrine to see things for themselves.Discovered were six tombs with different names such as Iya Egungun Agan, Abore Akoko, Apena Oodua, Awise Ifa, Apena Orisa and Oluwo Agba written on them. There were also different shrines with names such as Sango (Yoruba’s god of thunder), Yemoja, Esu Laalu, Allale, Igba Irunmale and Egungun.
Huts containing fearful statues, a structure designed with a fearful image of a lion, a coffin with a live python in it and mermaid statue were among other things found at the shrine.
Also recovered from the shrine were 26 bundles and 12 pieces of fake US 100 dollar notes, a mortar containing black soap, a beaded crown and a walking stick.
Hundreds of residents of the village and adjoining ones later stormed the shrine to destroy it, surprised that such a place had been within their community undiscovered.
When Aliyu was arrested, the suspect, who was said to be married to three wives and recently brought a fourth lover to a settlement close to the shrine, denied engaging in rituals but confessed that he had been obtaining money under false pretense from his victims. He also revealed that a palace chief was one of his group members.
He revealed that the mermaid statue which was sculptured by a deep well had ground pipes connected to it which supplies water. One of his syndicate members would blow a hose passed through it. This would make water to drip from the hands of the mermaid to further hoodwink his clients.
In an interview, the suspect spoke on his criminal exploits in connivance with other members of his gang.
On how he started:
I was in Lagos selling herbs when a man called SOJ from Ekiti State who noticed that people used to patronise me told me that I could make much money from my customers by exploiting their needs. SOJ took me to other fraudsters in Lagos State in 2003 and I was introduced to this business. I rented a room in Iju-Ishaga area of Lagos State beside Guru Maharaj Ji’s place of worship.
However, others members used to give me little from whatever was made and I was not happy about it. I left the group to establish my own shrine in Ife in January this year when I was outsmarted by my group in Lagos. The experience I gained from them is what I am using to dupe people.
Six of us are into the business of obtaining money from people under false pretence. They are ‘Iya Gbogbo’; Kabiru who stays in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State; Chief Aro, a palace chief who has my type of shrine; Rasak who stays in Ijebu-Ode, Ifayemi and Fakeye. They used to bring clients who are seeking spiritual assistance to me and I would stay in the lion house pretending to be an elderly man. Chief Aro and I were on a big job when I was arrested. Though I have been arrested by the police, the chief and one ‘Iya Gbogbo’ are still on the job.
I don’t know the name of our victim but we call her ‘Iya’. She is from Abuja and is seeking for a posting in a government office in Abuja. I have collected N400,000 only from her.
For those who are not strong hearted, a visit to the shrine would send shivers down their spine while they are likely to have nightmares over and over again because of the scary images and fetish objects found within the premises.
Information revealed that the hideout, built deep into the bush, by one Aliyu Mutairu, a.k.a. Abu Ragbaja an indigene of Inisa town, Osun State, was discovered when a part of his fence collapsed and some of the images were sighted by those who passed by the fenced structure.
The Assistant Commissioner of Police Mohammed Jimoh reportedly led detectives to Lamecco area, Ilobu road where Aliyu Mutairu, suspected to be the owner of the shrine was arrested.
After the discovery and arrest of the owner, police detectives, led by the Assistant Commissioner of Police, visited the shrine to see things for themselves.Discovered were six tombs with different names such as Iya Egungun Agan, Abore Akoko, Apena Oodua, Awise Ifa, Apena Orisa and Oluwo Agba written on them. There were also different shrines with names such as Sango (Yoruba’s god of thunder), Yemoja, Esu Laalu, Allale, Igba Irunmale and Egungun.
Huts containing fearful statues, a structure designed with a fearful image of a lion, a coffin with a live python in it and mermaid statue were among other things found at the shrine.
Also recovered from the shrine were 26 bundles and 12 pieces of fake US 100 dollar notes, a mortar containing black soap, a beaded crown and a walking stick.
Hundreds of residents of the village and adjoining ones later stormed the shrine to destroy it, surprised that such a place had been within their community undiscovered.
When Aliyu was arrested, the suspect, who was said to be married to three wives and recently brought a fourth lover to a settlement close to the shrine, denied engaging in rituals but confessed that he had been obtaining money under false pretense from his victims. He also revealed that a palace chief was one of his group members.
He revealed that the mermaid statue which was sculptured by a deep well had ground pipes connected to it which supplies water. One of his syndicate members would blow a hose passed through it. This would make water to drip from the hands of the mermaid to further hoodwink his clients.
In an interview, the suspect spoke on his criminal exploits in connivance with other members of his gang.
On how he started:
I was in Lagos selling herbs when a man called SOJ from Ekiti State who noticed that people used to patronise me told me that I could make much money from my customers by exploiting their needs. SOJ took me to other fraudsters in Lagos State in 2003 and I was introduced to this business. I rented a room in Iju-Ishaga area of Lagos State beside Guru Maharaj Ji’s place of worship.
However, others members used to give me little from whatever was made and I was not happy about it. I left the group to establish my own shrine in Ife in January this year when I was outsmarted by my group in Lagos. The experience I gained from them is what I am using to dupe people.
Six of us are into the business of obtaining money from people under false pretence. They are ‘Iya Gbogbo’; Kabiru who stays in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State; Chief Aro, a palace chief who has my type of shrine; Rasak who stays in Ijebu-Ode, Ifayemi and Fakeye. They used to bring clients who are seeking spiritual assistance to me and I would stay in the lion house pretending to be an elderly man. Chief Aro and I were on a big job when I was arrested. Though I have been arrested by the police, the chief and one ‘Iya Gbogbo’ are still on the job.
I don’t know the name of our victim but we call her ‘Iya’. She is from Abuja and is seeking for a posting in a government office in Abuja. I have collected N400,000 only from her.