Lagos: Justice for Adijat Pererra and Family -By Leo Igwe

The Advocacy for Alleged Witches urges the Lagos state government and the Commissioner of Police in Lagos to ensure that justice prevails in the case of Ms. Adijat Pererra whose boyfriend Omotolani Sunday Taiwo, A K A Dayan allegedly murdered for rituals in February. The statement is being issued because, according to family sources, there have been attempts by the police to cover up the case. The Advocacy for Alleged Witches is outraged by this development.

As noted in a petition to the Lagos Commissioner of Police, dated March 19, 2025, Adijat’s mother spoke with her for the last time on February 26, and on February 27, Adijat could not be reached. Later in the day, her mother was called to an apartment where the lifeless body of her daughter was lying in a pool of blood. Some clay pots, a calabash with blood, and other ritual items were also discovered in the room.

Meanwhile, the so-called boyfriend, Omotolani Sunday Taiwo, A K A Dayan, had disappeared and had remained at large.

Ms Pererra’s family reported the case to the Meiran Divisional Police Office. Unfortunately, the family of the suspect connived with some police officers to undermine the arrest, and investigation of the suspect. Pererra’s family sources told AfAW that the father of the suspect came to the police station and tried to get the police to abandon the investigation. The police tried to intimidate and compel the mother of Adijat to discontinue the case. They told her that after all the daughter was dead and nothing would come of the matter. This kind of treatment adds insult to injury and police officers who treated Adijat’s mother this way should named, tried, and dismissed from the force.

This development made Adijat’s mother petition the CP. The matter was transferred to the state criminal investigation department at Panti, Yaba. Based on the information available to AfAW, the investigation is stalled. Adijat’s family sources said the father of the suspect is also working with the police in Panti to kill the case. He has continued to block efforts to arrest and investigate the suspect. This is a very shameful development and does not speak well of the Nigerian police. The police should swing into action and arrest and investigate the suspect. The police can do this if they will.

The police should not yield to pressures from the father of the suspect because denying Adijat and her family justice will not reflect positively on the Lagos state government, the Nigerian police, and efforts to combat abuses linked to ritual beliefs and attacks.

As a matter of urgency, Omotolani Sunday Taiwo, A K A Dayan, should be arrested and made to answer for his crimes. He should be charged in court as soon as possible. Dayan needs to tell the world why he murdered Adijat and why; who were his accomplices. He should tell the public where he kept the ritual money or wealth he was supposed to earn. Many Nigerian youths are under the illusion that they can make money and become wealthy through ritual attacks and sacrifice. Incidentally, there is no evidence that ritual sacrifice of anything or anybody, including humans yields money or wealth.

There have been other cases of ritual attacks and murder of ladies by their boyfriends in Lagos and other parts of the Southwest. These ritual attacks continue because perpetrators are seldom brought to justice. Ritual attackers and killers are not made to answer for their crimes. This situation of impunity must change and the Lagos state government should lead the way. The world is watching and following the case of Adijat and how the government and police in Lagos are handling it. The Advocacy for Alleged Witches will continue to pressure officers at the state CID, FIDA, and the Lagos state government to ensure justice is done.

Adijat was murdered in February. Her case is already a case of justice delayed. Let us work, campaign, and ensure it does not become a case of justice denied.