Septuagenarian pastor arrested in connection to human parts buried in his church

A septuagenarian, Pastor Samuel Babatunde, and other culprits
have been arrested by the Police in Ogun State, in connection with suspected
human parts buried in his church.

He was arrested alongside with one suspected serial
kidnapper, Jeremiah Adeola (32) and a 43-year old herbalist, Haruna Afolabi.

The cleric is said to be the founder of Cherubim and
Seraphim Church, Itedo Isinmi, Ayo Parish, Egan Road, in Iyesi Area of
Sango-Ota.

The State Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Iliyasu, who led
journalists to the Church on Wednesday, said that the discovery followed the
arrest of Adeola, last Sunday.

Iliyasu while parading the church founder said that Adeola
confessed that the pastor was the receiver of children kidnapped by him while
Afolabi, was among the suspects, who allegedly buried the human parts at the
entrance of the church.

He said that the Area Command in Ota received technical
intelligence about the alleged serial kidnapper which followed his arrest.

“On the strength of the intelligence, detectives from Ota
Area Command were detailed to effect the arrest of the suspect; and at about
10:20am of the date, their efforts paid off when the said Jeremiah Adeola was
promptly arrested.

“On interrogation, he confessed being a serial kidnapper and
mentioned a prophet of a white garment church as the receiver of the kidnapped
children.

“Upon his revelation, he was taken to the house/church of
the said prophet at Iyana-Iyesi Ota, where one Prophet Samuel Babatunde, 67
years, a pastor in charge of the church and one Haruna Afolabi, 42 years, a
traditional worshiper, were arrested.

“The floor of the church was dug as described by the first
suspect, and parts suspected strongly to be human parts were dug out there in,”
the Police boss said.

Iliyasu promised that the command will carried out forensic
investigation into the case.

However, the arrested pastor denied the allegation, saying
that a pig was buried alive inside the church contrary to claims that human
parts were buried there.

Babatunde said the action was done so that it could bring
prosperity, good fortune and comfort to members of the church.

He told newsmen that he regretted his action, saying that he
met Adeola at a prayer mountain in Ibadan, and never knew that he had any
ritualist dealing with the alleged serial kidnapper, whom he accused of mental
infirmity.

Adeola, however, stood his ground that the pastor was the
receiver of some kidnapped children and that he (Babatunde) paid him N50,000
each for two children.