LOKOJA, Nigeria – In a chilling confession, Jeremiah Paul, a 20-year-old from Kaduna State, admitted to the brutal murder of Damilola Olowoyo, a 19-year-old 100-level student at the Federal University Lokoja, in what authorities are calling a ritual killing.
Paul, who was paraded by the Kogi State Police Command on Friday, September 13, 2024, alongside three other suspects, revealed that he had lured Damilola to a secluded area, where he strangled her and harvested her organs for a money ritual.
According to his confession, Paul had planned the ritual for some time and targeted Damilola shortly after meeting her a week before the murder.
He admitted to spiking her drink with codeine and Sprite before taking her to an uncompleted building near his residence, where he strangled her and removed vital organs, including her eyes, lungs, and liver.
The organs were intended for use in a ritual that Paul believed would bring him wealth and financial gain.
“I already had it in mind that I want to use Damilola for ritual,” Paul confessed.
He detailed how he contacted a native doctor he found on TikTok, who instructed him on what to remove from the victim’s body.
After the murder, a driver sent by the native doctor transported the harvested organs back to Ibadan, while Paul awaited the return of a ritual soap.
The grisly murder has sent shockwaves through the community, with calls for justice and heightened awareness of such heinous crimes. Damilola Olowoyo, a student of the Department of Biological Sciences, had been reported missing on September 2, 2024, after her examination.
Her father, Stephen Olowoyo, filed a complaint with the police after receiving a ransom demand, unaware that his daughter had already been killed.
Authorities launched an investigation, aided by the Technical Intelligence Unit of the Force Headquarters, which led to Paul’s arrest on September 11, 2024.
Upon interrogation, Paul confessed to the murder and led the police to the location where Damilola’s body was recovered.
Three other suspects were arrested in connection with the crime: Barnabas Olugbenga, Emmanuel Otitoju, and Ajayi Basit Ayomide.
While Olugbenga admitted to traveling with Paul to Ibadan to collect ritual soap, he claimed to be unaware of Paul’s plan to kill Damilola.
Ayomide, a 300-level student of Microbiology, stated that he only provided accommodation for Paul and Olugbenga while they were in Lokoja, denying any knowledge of the murder.
Otitoju, a 24-year-old sociology student at the same university, also denied involvement, stating that he had advised Damilola to reconcile with her boyfriend when they met.
SP William Ovye Aya, the Police Public Relations Officer for Kogi State, described the crime as “inhuman” and called on parents, students, and the public to be vigilant about those they associate with.
“This act that Jeremiah Paul and his gang have carried out is an inhuman act. Imagine a 20-year-old boy going this far in killing an innocent lady and removing her sensitive parts in the name of carrying out rituals,” Aya said during the parade of the suspects.
He assured the public that the command would continue to collaborate with other security agencies to ensure criminals do not find a safe haven in Kogi State.
The four suspects will be arraigned after the police complete their investigation.
