A suspected cultist has reportedly hacked to death a prominent businessman, Raimi Ibrahim, in Elegbeka community via Ipele, Owo, Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State.
The suspect, 18-year-old Suleiman Dantata, was arrested shortly after the killing of Raimi Ibrahim, a respected businessman in the area.
Police authorities say Dantata allegedly used a machete to attack the victim, leaving deep cuts on his neck. The attack reportedly took place outside the shop of Ibrahim’s mother at around 8:30 p.m.
A second suspect, 23-year-old Ohi Usman, who is accused of assisting Dantata by monitoring the victim’s movements, is currently on the run.
The late Ibrahim’s brother told investigators that Usman kept watch over his brother and informed Dantata of his whereabouts. “The suspect traced him to our mother’s shop and hacked him in the neck. Then he fled,” he said.
Sources in the community noted that Dantata had a disagreement with the victim’s father days before the attack. They added that the dispute may have stemmed from concerns over Dantata’s ties to a cult group. When his attempt to harm the elder Ibrahim reportedly failed, he turned his attention to the businessman’s son.
Outrage followed the murder, with several youths from the area taking to the streets in protest. The unrest was said to have been fueled by some members of the community who were sympathetic to Dantata’s family.
Dantata has since been charged in court with conspiracy and murder. During a hearing at the Chief Magistrate’s Court in Oke Eda, Akure, the police prosecutor, Josephine Awana, explained the nature of the case.
She stated that the accused, alongside his accomplice, conspired and inflicted fatal machete wounds on the deceased. The court charge outlines that the act falls under Section 324 of the Criminal Code Law of Ondo State, 2006.
Magistrate Olateju Odenusi-Fadeyi ordered that Dantata be remanded at Olokuta Correctional Facility until the next court date, which has been scheduled for May 14.
Meanwhile, the Ondo State Police Command has arrested three individuals believed to be leaders of the Eiye and Ayee cult groups. The suspects were apprehended during a coordinated operation aimed at curbing ongoing cult-related violence in Ondo town and its surrounding areas.
