During the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, in the mid of the imposed lockdown, there was a hike in crimes such as rape and ritual killings in Oyo which is situated in the Western part of Nigeria. A prime suspect was fortunately identified as Sunday Shodipe, a 19-year old man.
Within months of his criminal activities, Sunday had recorded more than 5 official killings before he was nabbed by the police force. For now, he is still awaiting trial and a possible conviction but before then, here are some important facts about the serial killer and his dreaded life of crime.
Sickening Facts About Sunday Shodipe
1. He was born in 2001
The very dangerous and hardened Nigerian serial killer was born in 2001, although his actual date of birth is not known. There is also no information about his childhood and education, even though many sources suggest he is not well educated.
2. Shodipe was in the process of learning to become a herbalist
According to the herbalist that the serial killer was arrested with whose name is Adedokun Yinusa, the teenager was sent to him to learn towards becoming a herbalist himself.
3. He was allegedly sent by his master to kill people
Making revelations about the motive behind his killings, the serial killer claimed he was hired to carry out all his crimes by 50-year-old herbalist, Adedokun Yinusa whom he referred to as his master.
According to him, unlike many other killings by serial killers, his was simply for ritual purposes, as demanded by the herbalist.
4. Sunday Shodipe was fortified before going to kill people
Before he going out to kill people, Sunday Shodipe was always fortified by the aforementioned herbalist. He claimed that before any operation, the herbalist would ask him to kneel down in front of him and he would make some incantations and then put something on his tongue three times.
After he was fortified, he had a process to follow in killing his victims; he would hit them with a shovel and then make some incantations. Next, he would move around the body three times. He added that he would back the body for five minutes with his eyes closes before leaving the scene. He confessed that the herbalist assured him that nobody would come to the scene during the period. He also admitted he usually returns to his master who would make some incantations again.
5. His victims were all female
His targets of Shodipe were female, some of whom he raped and rob them before hacking them to death. His known victims were 18-year old Barakat Bello on June 1, 2020; 21-year old Grace Oshiagwu on June 13; and 5-year-old Mojeed Tirimisiyu on June 22. He also killed a pregnant woman, Mrs. Azeezat Somuyiwa on June 5, making her his second victim.
Shodipe claimed he was given food and N500 after he returns from each operation.
6. His last two victims before his first arrest survived
Adeola Azeez, and her daughter, Dolapo Oyeyemi, would have been the fifth and sixth victims of Shodipe on June 29, 2020, after he attacked the duo with a shovel and left them for death. Before he fled the scene, he robbed them of their phones and money. Fortunately, they survived the dastard attack.
7. How the serial killer was first arrested
Shodipe was first arrested through a receiver on a phone he had stolen from one of his deceased victims, Azeezat Shomuyiwa. He confessed to various criminal activities within Ojo’o, Akinyele, and Moniya areas in Ibadan. Shodipe subsequently led the police officers to the hideout of the herbalist that engaged him in the killings.
He got to know the herbalist when his (Shodipe) mother took him to the herbalist’s house claiming he was being wayward and the herbalist did some spiritual work on him. She brought him back after two months in other to learn how to become a herbalist. On his part, the herbalist denied having anything to do with the killer. He revealed that even though he was brought to him to learn and become a herbalist, he was not satisfied with his behavior and so he sent him away after a short while.
8. How Sunday Shodipe escaped from prison
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vppzglKT0IM
He escaped from detention at Mokola police custody where he was detained on August 11, 2020. This came as a huge embarrassment to the Nigerian police force, the Commissioner of Police Enwonwu then announced an N500,000 ($1,295) reward for any information that would help the police. The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu immediately deployed three special squads to assist in the manhunt.
He would later reveal that his escape from prison was thanks to the herbalist who helped him escape after he begged one of the policemen to allow them to go out and have their bath. Shodipe climbed a pole after he realized the policeman was not paying attention to him and escaped.
9. He did not stop killing after his escape
A middle-aged woman, Mrs. Olufunmilayo was brutally macheted to death a few days after the alleged serial killer escaped. It did not take long before he was linked to the crime. The youths of the community were infuriated by the murder that they staged a protest against the police.
10 How he was finally rearrested
On the 23rd of August, he was rearrested due to the collective efforts of the security forces and a certain vigilante group in the area. It was revealed that because of his crimes, traditionalists, Christians, and Muslims all prayed towards his arrest.
He revealed that he knew the police were looking for him hence he disguised himself wearing a face cap. However, luck ran out for him when a man called him to help him push his car and in the process, the man grabbed him and handed him over to the police.
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11. Sunday Shodipe believed to be a part of a syndicate
Although it was believed that only 5 people were killed by Sunday Shodipe, the Alakinyele of Akinyele Town, Oba James Oluyemi Adeniran (JP), revealed that there were as many as 12 killings that were carried out within the same period and they were all similar to the one carried out by Sunday. He made it known that Shodipe is a part of a syndicate that has different groups but are all into the same thing.
12. Shodipe and the herbalist were not the only ones arrested
Alongside the serial killer and his alleged master, there were other alleged ritualists that were arrested at Akinyele Local Government at the same time. They included a 35-year-old man, Abiodun Oladejo who was accused of killing a woman.
