Suspected serial killers have reportedly killed no fewer than six people in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The killings were said to have occurred in three different areas of the premier city within the last one month.

According to The Sun Newspaper, the three incidents followed the same pattern and modus operandi similar to ‘badoo boys’ that terrorised Ikorodu in Lagos State recently.

The three incidents that have come to the limelight occurred in Akinyele Local Government Area of the state, however, there is an apprehension that the serial killers may move to other suburbs of Ibadan.

The ‘badoo boys’ resurfaced in Oyo State, many months after they were conquered in Lagos State.

The paper wrote,

The first reported incident carried out by the ritual killers was said to have occurred at Abatakan, near Ojoo on Old Ibadan-Oyo Road. Four persons were reportedly killed during the incident.

The killers, as gathered, used cutlasses to massacre their victims before using grinding stones to smash their heads, and handkerchiefs to wipe their blood and leave, without stealing anything from their victims.

The second was said to have occurred at Fatokun behind Amuludun FM, of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), during which one person was killed in the same manner. The money, which the woman purportedly had with her at the time she was killed was not taken away. The killers only broke her head with grinding stone and used handkerchief to clean her blood and left with the blood-stained handkerchief.

The third incident happened on Saturday, August 24, 2019 at Olomowewe near Akingbile in Moniya area of Ibadan. An old woman, Mrs. Oluyemisi Peter, was also murdered in the same manner. A granddaughter of the deceased woman, who was with her when the operation was ongoing escaped death narrowly, but she was hit with the grinding stone on the head.

In his reaction, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Oyo State, Mr. Olugbenga Fadeyi, said efforts were on top gear to clamp down on the hoodlums.

“The people should not be too quick to submit that it is a replicate of what has happened in Ikorodu in Lagos State. The Oyo State Police Command has commenced investigation into that matter and we are working assiduously to make sure that there is a clampdown on those groups, or a particular person or persons, who are carrying out this heinous crime. With time, we will be able to showcase them to the public. In our manner, we will clamp down on them very soon.

“People should try not to conceal information. If they have any, they should give us information as to how to unravel the mystery behind this act. We are looking closely into it. We have set machinery in motion. Undercover police officers are working are on this issue in that axis. I will not want to say more than this, but with time, we will be able to tell the public and brief the press as well on what has actually happened and what is happening, who and who these people are.

“We also want to advise that people in that axis should make sure that they are security conscious, by also being vigilant. When they are indoor, they should lock their doors behind them. When they are going out, they should watch the movement of people or persons or somebody that is following them closely. They should make sure that they don’t walk alone, either early in the morning or late in the night so that these evil persons will not just take advantage to carry out any dastardly act on them.

“They should tell us whatever they see and what they have observed in that axis so that we can be kept abreast of what is happening there.”