Three years after the gruesome murder of 16-year-old Sofiat Okeowo in Abeokuta, Ogun State, justice has finally been served. An Ogun State High Court has convicted and sentenced the perpetrators — Mustakeem Balogun and Soliudeen Majekodunmi to death by hanging, while Abdulgafar Lukmon received life imprisonment for their roles in the ritual killing of the young girl.
Sofiat, a fashion apprentice and bread seller, was lured to her boyfriend Majekodunmi’s residence in Oke-Aregba on January 28, 2022, under the pretense of a visit. Unknown to her, Majekodunmi, alongside Balogun and Lukmon, had plotted her death for money ritual purposes. She was sexually assaulted, strangled, and beheaded. Her head was later burnt in a local pot as part of the ritual process.
The suspects were arrested after being caught burning the head while chanting incantations. One of the suspects, Waris Oladeinde, was later released by the court based on the Director of Public Prosecution’s legal advice, which found no direct involvement in the act.
Delivering the judgment on Friday, July 11, 2025, Justice Olugboyega Ogunfowora found the trio guilty of murder and criminal conspiracy. The Ogun State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Oluwasina Ogungbade, hailed the verdict as a victory for justice and a message that the state would not tolerate ritual killings.
Ogungbade expressed satisfaction with the work of state prosecutors and the cooperation of security agencies, emphasizing the government’s commitment to holding criminals accountable.
He also urged Nigerian youths to embrace education and vocational skills instead of seeking shortcuts to wealth, warning that ritual-related crimes would be met with the full force of the law.
