Osun state government has rescued 11 lunatics from a suspected ritualist, Mr Isiaka Akande who is operating an orthodox psychiatric centre in Aagba, Boripe Local Government of the state.
The lunatics were evacuated from Akande’s house by men of the police and officers of the Osun Destitute Rehabilitation Programme (OREHAB) on Friday.
It would be recalled that one of the mentally deranged person being treated was killed and mutilated by Akande and a friend herbalist, Rasidi Ajibade for ritual purpose.
Akande and Ajibade were caught with the deceased head, two palms, private part and intestine at Oluode market in Osogbo, some few days ago on their way to where they would make use of the parts for ritual.
While Akande fled and escaped arrest on the day, Ajibade was arrested by the police who later arrested Ajibade last week Monday at his residence at Aagba.
The police had evacuated six of the insane people immediately after arresting the suspects and keeping them at the State Criminal Investigation Department.
The six mentally deranged people are: Mutiyat Otitan, Afolabi Femi, Yemisi Babatunde, Alawumi Aladokun, Ajara and Taiwo Jolayemi. Both Akande and Ajibade confessed to the crime before newsmen.
When the state government was informed about Akande’s psychiatric centre, the Commissioner for Social Protection, Sports and Special Needs, Comrade Biyi Odunlade mobilized a team of police led by the Police Public Relations Officer, Mrs Folasade Odoro and officials of the OREHAB to evacuate the rest of the insane people.
Five mentally challenged people who were chained and looking unkempt in the Akande’s uncompleted building were evacuated by this team.
They were: Taofeek, Toyin Ogunleye, Ayobami Adijat, Mosudi and one old woman who could neither walk nor talk.
Akande led the police and journalists to where he and his herbalist friend buried the remains of the murdered lunatic behind his house, confessing that his friend lured him into money ritual.
All the lunatics including those that were earlier evacuated by the police were taken to the state government rehabilitation centre at Ilobu where they were fed, bathed and treated by doctor.
Speaking with journalists, Odunlade said the state government would conduct primary assessment on the lunatics to ascertain the severity of their insanity, saying that the process would guide them to know which one to be treated at state or teaching hospital.
According to Odunlade, all the mentally challenged people would go through psychosocial test to know those who were stable mentally or not, disclosing that once they were stable mentally, they would be reintegrated into the society and their various families specifically.
The commissioner disclosed that the state government had rehabilitated and reintegrated 160 mentality challenged people with the programme.
Packaged by Bunmi Oladejo
