Four Men Arrested Over Alleged Plan to Use Biological Children for Money Ritual
The Niger State Police Command has arrested five men, including a native doctor, over an alleged money ritual plot in which four of the suspects reportedly offered their biological children as sacrifices in exchange for wealth.
The suspects were apprehended during a police operation at an isolated compound in the Garima area of Bosso, Minna, where officers reportedly interrupted a suspected ritual involving slaughtered chickens, blood-stained clothes and other items.
The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, disclosed the development in a statement issued in Minna.
According to the police, the incident occurred on October 27, 2026, at about 8:30pm when operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, while conducting routine patrols around Bosso, received intelligence about suspected ritual activities at a secluded compound in Garima.
Acting on the information, the officers proceeded to the location, where they arrested five individuals identified as Mohammed Idris Dogara, 57, from Nasarawa State but resident in Bosso; Aliyu Sule, 25; Abubakar Abdullahi, 40; Ibrahim Mohammed Hamisu, 43; and Shehu Abubakar, 40, a native doctor from Maikunkele.
Items recovered during the operation included blood-stained red and white clothing, four calabashes, two live chickens, three slaughtered chickens, a blood-stained knife and a large mat on which the materials were reportedly arranged.
The police said preliminary investigations revealed that Ibrahim, Abubakar, Aliyu and Mohammed had approached the native doctor to perform money rituals for them using a skeleton allegedly discovered during mining activities.
However, the native doctor reportedly turned down their request, explaining that he did not engage in such practices.
Despite his refusal, the four men allegedly insisted on proceeding with the ritual and offered their biological children as sacrifices in exchange for different amounts of money.
The native doctor subsequently instructed each of them to purchase a chicken and meet at a designated location to carry out the ritual, according to the police.
Officers reportedly arrived while the suspects were carrying out the activities. Aliyu Sule was allegedly found holding a blood-stained knife and preparing to slaughter his chicken, while three other suspects had already slaughtered theirs.
The command said the suspects had confessed to the allegations and were currently undergoing further investigation ahead of their prosecution.
However, the police did not disclose the identities or ages of the children allegedly offered for the ritual. It also remains unclear whether the children have been located or whether any of them were exposed to immediate danger during the alleged plot.
