A herbalist and Muslim cleric has been arrested for murdering his female client.

A 55-year-old herbalist in the Olodi Apapa area of Lagos State, Isiaka Akanbi, popularly called Alfa, is in police net trying to extricate himself from the alleged murder of a client of his, a 62-year-old woman, who was declared missing last month.

Recovered from Akanbi, who also claimed to be a Muslim cleric, were the deceased’s personal effects which were exhumed in his shrine.

The deceased, Raliatu Kareem, reportedly visited the herbalist in his shrine located on Lawani Street, Olodi Apapa, on October 25, 2014, before her mysterious disappearance.

The late Kareem, who resided at 15 Ope-Ewe Street in Ijaiye Agbado area of the state, was said to have gone on a visit a relative who had a baby at Salubi Street, Olodi Apapa.

However on her way back, she reportedly informed her relative that she was going to the herbalist’s place.

But apprehension set in two days later, after the undisclosed relative got a call from Agbado Ijaye, demanding for the whereabouts of Mrs Kareem.

Policemen from Tolu division were contacted, consequent upon which the babalawo was arrested.

However, after initially denying knowing the woman or the circumstances leading to her disappearance, police sources hinted that the herbalist eventually confessed that she actually visited him for some consultation but died in his shrine, disclosing that he dumped Mrs Kareem’s remains at Marine beach.

A police source said:

During interrogation, Alfa Akanbi told the police that he did not kill the woman, adding that she died in his place. Akanbi added that when he realised the woman was dead, he buried her personal effects to erase any trace of her in his house.

When we went to where he claimed to have dumped the corpse, we did not find it. During interrogation, he said he did not kill his client but that she slumped and died while in his shrine which he claimed doubles as a healing home.

He collected the deceased’s personal effects which included handset, bangles and ring and buried them behind his compound so as not to leave any trace.

But the lid was blown because the relative who the deceased went to visit was aware of the visit to the alfa’s home.  

We are still searching for the corpse. Its recovery will form another phase in our investigation.Akanbi reportedly told the police:

On the evening of October 26, it is true that she visited me. We have been very good friends too. On that day, she just collapsed and became unconscious. I quickly rushed her to a nearby hospital, but I was shocked when the nurses told me she had died.

I got a NAPEP tricycle and took her corpse to the Marine Bridge that same night and abandoned it there. I did not want people to trace her corpse to me. When I got home, I buried her wallet, handset, bangle and ring behind my house.

I did not kill her. I am an Alfa, I do favour charms for traders. I met Raliatu in 1986. Since then, we have been family friends. She used to come to my place for consultation and I had been to her house too.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Kenneth Nwosu, confirmed the arrest of Akanbi, saying investigation was still on.

The case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigations Department, Yaba, for further investigation.