Residents of Jagun village, Iware in Afijio Local Government area, Oyo State, are living in fear following the sighting of some strange men believed to be ritualists.
A discovery made by men of Operation Burst at a building within the community also confirmed their suspicions.
The situation began to build up a few weeks ago when some women, who were spreading cassava flakes on a tarred road in the sun, saw some strange men coming into the area.
It was gathered that the women immediately ran away to inform others about the return of the “ritual murderers.”
A community leader, who pleaded for anonymity, said: “Immediately these women saw the men, they screamed out of fear. The women left their cassava flakes by the road side and ran back to the town to alert other residents. That was how the community got to know of their arrival. They (the ritualsts) even threatened to deal with the women if they dare tell anyone about their arrival in the town.”
But prior to the sighting of the “strange men,” security agencies arrested some men found in possession of human parts at an isolated building in a bushy area within the community.
The men were later arraigned at a magistrate’s court.
Despite the arraignment of the alleged ritualists, the people continued to live in fear, with parents refusing to send their children to the two primary schools in the community, : Baptist Primary School, Jagun and Idi-Ope Primary School, Iware.
Besides, expectant and nursing mothers deserted the only maternity centre at Adio-Jagun for fears of being kidnapped for ritual purposes.
The residents also began a self-imposed curfew with nobody stepping outside their homes beyond 9pm.
Following a tip-off, men of the Operation Burst, Oyo Zone – a special security outfit set up by the government – held a meeting with the residents, assuring them of safety of life and property.
The men of the security outfit urged the residents to go about their legitimate businesses.
The day after, the security men stormed the alleged ritualists’ base, searching the building and its vicinity for the criminals.
Though no one was found, what the security men discovered amazed hundreds of residents, who besieged the place to catch a glimpse.
The “house of horror,” which wore a new look, has an underground cell, dungeons, deep pits for dumping mutilated human bodies as well as shrines.
The security outfit thereafter embarked on intensive surveillance of the area day and night to apprehend the masterminds of the “ ritualists’ base.”
It was learnt that the Caretaker Chairman of the Local Government, Mr. Oluade Olorode, was advised by the Operation Burst to prevail on the government to the demolish the house.
Some of the elated residents, who spoke with The Nation, praised the men of the outfit for their timely response to the situation, which they said had almost unsettled the community.
When contacted, Commanding Officer of Operation Burst in the zone, Captain Dominic Ezeoha, said their operations were in strict compliance with the rules establishing it and intelligence directives from the security outfit’s headquarters in Ibadan, the state capital.
