The Ogun State Police Command has arrested a trainee herbalist, Ifagbenga Taiwo, for allegedly killing his 41-day-old son in the Keesi area of Adatan, Abeokuta.
During police interrogation, Taiwo claimed that he acted under a spell and was not conscious of his actions at the time of the incident.
The tragic event reportedly occurred on Monday, 9th December, after the baby’s mother, Raimat Wasilat, left her son on a bed to wash clothes outside their home. She returned to find the infant with his throat slit, prompting her to raise the alarm that drew the attention of neighbours and the police.
According to the Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Omolola Odutola, Wasilat accused her husband of the act, leading to his arrest and ongoing investigation.
Taiwo narrated how he used a knife to kill his son, but insisted that he was influenced by an external force.
“I didn’t go home on Sunday due to work commitments. I went home on Monday, had a bath, gave my wife a feeding allowance, and left the house,” Taiwo explained in Yoruba. “When I got to work, I realised I had left the charms I used for self-protection at home. I went back to pick them up, but shortly after returning to work, I felt uneasy, like something was circulating in my body, and I felt like committing a crime.”
Taiwo said he returned home to find his wife absent from the spot where she was washing clothes. Overcome by a compulsion, he picked up a knife from his mother’s room and attacked his son.
“When I got home, I didn’t see my wife outside. I went inside, picked a knife, and went to where my son was laid. That’s the last thing I remember before I came back to my senses,” he recounted. “When I realised my son was dead, I was shocked and fled through the back door of the house.”
Addressing speculation about his motives, including the possibility of wanting to separate from his wife, Taiwo denied any intention to divorce her. “I love my wife, and I did not plan to divorce her. I don’t know how it happened. I had already done it before I realised what I did. I fled because I didn’t know what to do. I am sorry about what I did,” he said.
The suspect appealed to the government for mercy, as the investigation continues.
