By EUGENE AGHA

The police have uncovered how Mercy Henry, a resident of Lagos State, was tricked and murdered by a traditional birth attendant she trusted.

The deceased had reportedly contacted the traditionalist identified as Mayowa Timothy Bamidele for assistance on a spiritual issue.

Bamidele had allegedly tricked the deceased to his house where she was butchered and body parts buried behind his compound at Ijegun, a surburb in Lagos.

According to homicide detectives, the deceased contacted Bamidele in December, 2021.

She had left home on December 16, 2021, and went to Bamidele’s house.

However, her family became worried when she did not return home and they raised an alarm.

Mercy’ younger brother said the search for his sister started on the night of December 17, 2021.

On hearing the news of the disappearance of the deceased, one of her friends simply identified as Ayo, who resides in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, informed them that, Mercy had called her on December 15, 2021, requesting for a N30, 000 loan.

According to Ayo, Mercy told her that she was ill and needed the money. Ayo told the family that the money left her account by 1.59pm on the same day and that by 2.02pm, Mercy’s phone was turned off and had remained switched off since then.

While lamenting the unfortunate development, Pa Henry Ekienabor, the deceased’s father, had said the family was apprehensive, as the whereabouts of Mercy were unknown.

Ekienabor, who said although Bamidele, the prime suspect, had been arrested, the police were not escalating the matter to the level he wanted.

“I feel frustrated and dejected because I have never experienced this type of situation in my life. It’s been almost a month now and mercy is nowhere to be found. We went round, called her friends and reported to the police. Police keep saying the investigation continues. We’ve gone to spiritual homes and we were told Mercy was being caged somewhere, but where? Nobody knows,” he had said.

The police said investigations showed that Mercy had given birth to one of her daughters with the assistance of Mayowa.

Homicide detectives at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Yaba, said Bamidele was arrested but during interrogation, he denied seeing the deceased in December.

He had insisted that he last saw her about four years ago when she was delivered of a baby.

“When Mayowa’s phone was tracked the police discovered that himself and Mercy spoke on December 15, 2022 at about 9:00p.m,” a police detective, who is not authorised to speak officially, said under anonymity.

The source said during further interrogation, Bamidele confessed to killing Mercy after one of the other three persons arrested in connection with her disappearance confessed that they killed her.

The suspect led the police to his backyard where he had mutilated her body, packed them into sacks, before burying it.

Calls to the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Adekunle Ajisebutu, were not answered. He also failed to reply messages sent to him. (Daily Trust)

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