In what is being described as one of the most chilling cases of ritual murder in recent years, a once-struggling tailor in Lagos has been unmasked for allegedly sacrificing innocent newborns in a desperate bid for riches and success.
Babatunde, a 48-year-old tailor who ran a small shop in one of the bustling suburbs of Lagos, had reportedly gone five long years without a single steady customer. His business was on the brink of collapse, and he could barely feed his family. That all changed when a close friend introduced him to a powerful Babalawo (traditional spiritualist).
According to police sources who spoke to Report Naija, the Babalawo handed Babatunde a small covered pot and instructed him to bury it inside his shop after performing an initial ritual with pigeon blood. What started as a seemingly harmless charm quickly turned sinister.
Within weeks of burying the pot, Babatunde’s fortunes flipped dramatically. Customers flooded his shop, orders poured in, and money started flowing like never before. He bought cars, built houses, and lived the kind of lavish life he had only dreamed of. But the pot, according to his confession, soon demanded more — human blood.
At first, the ritual required blood from newborns. Babatunde allegedly could not stop the cycle. If he failed to renew the sacrifice every year, everything he had gained — his booming business, properties, and wealth — would vanish overnight. Trapped in fear and greed, he allegedly struck a deal with a rogue doctor who supplied him with newborns.
For several years, the gruesome arrangement continued. Babatunde would drain the blood of the infants into the pot, re-bury it, and continue enjoying his ill-gotten success while the tiny bodies were secretly buried.
The nightmare finally unravelled last year during one of the routine “renewals.” The mother of one of the sacrificed babies refused to accept the story that her child had simply “died” at the hospital. Her persistent protests triggered a police investigation. Under intense questioning, the doctor cracked and confessed everything — admitting he had been selling newborns to Babatunde for the ritual.
Babatunde was arrested immediately. He reportedly led detectives to his shop where they discovered the dreaded pot still containing fresh human blood. He then took them to the burial site behind the shop, where police exhumed the body of the latest victim.
Tragically, Babatunde died in police custody just days after his arrest. The doctor, however, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for his role in the heinous crimes.
This case has sent shockwaves across Lagos and beyond. Many residents are calling for stricter crackdowns on fake spiritualists who prey on the desperate and vulnerable.
This is honestly disturbing. Greed and desperation can push people to do unimaginable things. No amount of money, success, or “spiritual help” is worth the life of an innocent child. Justice for the victims is the only thing that matters. Some actions can never be undone. 💔
Report Naija will continue to follow developments and bring you more on this story. If you have information on similar cases, please reach us via our tip line. Stay safe, Lagos.