I Kept Kidnapped Victims and I Was the Gang's Spiritual Father – Native doctor Confesses

I G of Police, Solomon Arase

A middle-aged man, Mukaila Dauda, has confessed to be a spiritual father to a notorious kidnapping syndicate terrorizing Ogun State.

Dauda, who confessed at the Police Command headquarters, Eleweran, Abeokuta  after he was arrested alongside his gang, denied being a kidnapper, but said he kept victims while preparing charms for the suspects.


“I am a popular traditionalist and  herbalist, I won’t lie to you. I prepared powerful charms to protect the gang. I also kept their victims till ransoms are paid. I was paid about N300,000 for every successful operation.

“I am surprised with the question you are asking me now. You people are talking as if I formed a gang of kidnappers and armed robbers. I didn’t form that gang. I am  a spiritual father to the gang.  One of them came for spiritual help and he later introduced other members to me. From one discussion to the other until they told me what they really wanted from me.

“I am a herbalist. I have been practising for over 25 years.  I specialized in curing strokes and other diseases.  At a point, business was no longer lucrative and feeding my two wives and six children became a burden. It was at that point that I met Tunde Akilo, a commercial motorcyclist and Sunkanmi Dacosta, who introduced me to kidnapping.

“My role was to keep victims in my house, pending the time their families would pay ransom. I never went out with the gang, but I was giving them names of prominent persons in Ijebu-Igbo. Some of the names I gave them were those who have patronized me.

“The first person that was brought to my house was one Chief Alakoso. He was brought in  the morning in March, this year, I got N300,000 after the ransom was paid four days later, for keeping him in my place. This amount was aside my regular share from the loot because that was the bargain.

“I prepared charms to fortify the gang before any operation.  This was to enable them succeed without trouble. I also prepare charms that would make the victims lose their senses. A day before they would leave, I would lite fire and chant some incantations into it. The fire would burn until they arrived. The police said they recovered two AK 47 rifles, a pump action gun, a Barretta pistol, a  short gun and assorted charms from the native doctor.

Also arrested, were four other suspects, Ahmed Adebanjo, Tunde Akilo, Sunkanmi Dacosta and Lateef Agboola.

Investigation, according to the police, revealed that the suspects were allegedly responsible for several cases of kidnapping in Ijebu area. One of their alleged victims was Chief Alakoso, a prominent businessman, who was kidnapped three months ago around Omu Eleni area and was released after paying N2 million.



Source: The SUN