Tragedy struck in Ota, Ado-Odo/Ota local government area of Ogun State when suspected ritualists reportedly killed a 10-year-old girl, whose parents are from Togo.

The incident happened around 7 am on Thursday at Kilani Street, Iyana Iyesi area of Ota, Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area of the state.

It was gathered that a friend of the victim’s mother who was a neighbour sent the girl to her home to get charcoal.

But, on getting to the house, the girl sighted some hoodlums who had broken into the house, carting away some property.

It was further gathered that the attempt by the girl to run away having seen and identified them failed as they reportedly held her and killed her with a pestle.

A neighbour who pleaded anonymity said the killers were suspected ritualists who had hidden somewhere in the building, attacked her and smashed her head with a pestle.

The source said the girl’s cry for help attracted the neighbour’s attention, but she was dead before anybody could arrive at the scene.

A resident of the area, Bolanle Sunmonu, said that the neighbours searched for the suspects,but they had left and could not be found.

It was gathered thatthe police was alerted but before they could get to the scene to assess the situation, the suspects had long escaped.

Another resident said “the police have taken away the body of the victim. I know the girl very well, we used to call her Mama. The suspect killed her in cold blood. At first, we thought it was a thief, but further findings revealed that the guy is a ritualist.

“When we searched further, we discovered that the man had charms and a goat hidden in an empty building close to his victim’s house. When we got there, we saw a goat. The goat attacked one of us, but it was later killed. This is a sad occurrence,” another source stated.

When contacted, the State Police Public Relations Officer, SP, Abimbola Oyeyemi, confirmed the incident.

Oyeyemi said the killers were armed robbers and not ritualists.

The PPRO said, “It is true. The mother is a Togolese and has afemale friend who is a Ghanaian. It was the Ghanaian woman that sent the girl to her house to get her charcoal.

“Getting to the house, she met the robbers who identified her and did not want her to expose them. They killed her. Our men have combed all the areas but had not got them. The command will ensure they are arrested,” Oyeyemi added. (The PUNCH)