Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
An 18-month-old baby girl has been beheaded in a suspected ritual killing at Agoti farm settlement in Idanre Local Government Area of Ondo State, an incident that has left the community in shock and the father of the deceased demanding urgent justice from security agencies and the state government. The Ondo State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of a suspect in connection with the gruesome killing, while investigations continue to determine whether other persons were involved.
The victim, the daughter of Bright Kalu, a peasant farmer originally from Abia State working at the Agoti Settlement, was killed on Monday, June 8, 2026. According to Kalu, he had left the baby in the care of her mother at their farm camp while he went to a nearby farm to buy food items. Upon his return, he met his wife in a state of distress. “On Monday, June 8, 2026, I was returning from a nearby camp where I had gone to buy food items when I met my wife looking troubled and distressed,” Kalu recounted. “When I asked what had happened, she told me that someone had come to the camp and attacked her, and that she was able to rescue three of our children, but one was missing.”
Kalu and his elder brother, Ifeanyi, immediately launched a search of the area. They did not find anyone initially, but later discovered the lifeless body of the toddler behind their house. Her head had been severed. The father described the discovery as devastating, and the family has been thrown into mourning. The incident has also sparked fear and outrage among residents of the farming community, where attacks of this nature are rare.
The matter was first reported at the Olofin Police Station in Idanre and subsequently transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) at the Police Headquarters in Akure for further investigation. Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the Ondo State Police Command, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, said detectives had arrested a suspect in connection with the crime. Jimoh, however, remained silent on the identity of the suspect, stating that investigations were ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding the killing and determine whether other persons were involved. He added that the suspect would be charged to court upon the conclusion of the investigation by police detectives.
The police command assured residents that no effort would be spared in ensuring that justice is served and urged members of the public to remain calm and cooperate with investigators. The command also called on anyone with useful information to come forward to assist in the ongoing investigation.
The bereaved father has appealed to the Ondo State Government, security agencies, and human rights organisations to ensure that the perpetrators of the crime are brought to justice. Kalu, who hails from Abia State, expressed deep grief over the loss of his daughter and called for swift action to prevent such incidents from recurring. “I appeal to the Ondo State Government, security agencies, and human rights organisations to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice,” he said.
The tragic killing has drawn widespread condemnation and renewed calls for tougher action against ritual killings and the proliferation of criminal elements exploiting vulnerable communities. The incident is the latest in a series of gruesome murders in Ondo State linked to ritual purposes. In July 2025, a 26-year-old man beheaded his 15-year-old brother in Odigbo Local Government Area. In July 2024, three clerics were arrested for exhuming the corpse of a one-year-old boy and cutting off his head and two palms for ritual purposes in Odigbo LGA.
As investigations continue, the community of Agoti Settlement remains in mourning, and the family of the deceased is left to grapple with an unimaginable loss. The police have assured the public that the suspect will face the full weight of the law, and the Ondo State Government has been urged to intensify efforts to curb ritual killings and protect vulnerable communities from such heinous crimes.
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