Pastors, Father Arrested Over Death of Hunchback Son in Ritual Attempt
A 24-year-old man, Lucky, who had a hunchback, died after his father and two pastors attempted to sell his body part for ‘mercury’ in a ritual act.
The incident happened in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where Lucky was handed over to Pastor Olatoye, 54, by his father, Ejike, and his uncle, Pastor Paul.
Olatoye, who runs a new generation church in Osiakpo, near Omoku in the state, said he was contacted by Paul to help find buyers for Lucky’s hunchback, which they believed contained ‘mercury’.
He said he made inquiries and found two ‘contacts’, one in Owerri, Imo State, and another in Abeokuta, Ogun State, who offered to pay N5m and N10m respectively for the ‘mercury’.
He said he agreed with Ejike and Paul to take Lucky to a hospital in Lagos for a surgical operation to remove his hunchback.
He said Lucky consented to the operation, saying he wanted to be like a normal human being.
However, the operation was fatal and Lucky died on the operating table.
Olatoye said he signed the document on behalf of Ejike, who gave him the authority to do so.
He said he was trying to flee Port Harcourt with Lucky’s corpse when he was arrested by a vigilance group, ONELGA OSPAC.
Paul denied any involvement in the ritual attempt, saying he only introduced Olatoye to his brother and was not part of their subsequent discussion.
Ejike could not be reached for comment.
The OSPAC Commander, Felix Nwobakata, said the arrest would serve as a deterrent to anyone trying to indulge in ritual acts.
He said the three suspects had been handed over to the Assistant Inspector General, Monitoring Unit, Zone 16, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, for further investigation and prosecution.
The spokesperson of the state police command, Grace Iringe-Koko, did not respond to inquiries by our correspondent.
