The Delta State Police Command has apprehended a 20-year-old herbalist, Amechi Okwuokenye, and his 26-year-old brother, Smart Okwuokenye, for allegedly killing two individuals for ritual purposes.
According to a statement released by the Delta State Police Command’s image maker, SP Bright Edafe, the herbalist’s troubles began when Friday Liberty, who is now deceased, a client of the herbalist, disappeared after visiting him.
“It was a case of the hunter becoming the hunted, when on the 30th of September 2025, Mr Friday Liberty, aged 22 years old, visited his herbalist, whom he had known for some time now, but this time, he never returned.”
“The family, who initially didn’t know what happened to their brother, started looking for him. The girlfriend of the deceased then informed the family that she heard a conversation about the said Friday liberty and a certain herbalist, and advised that they should reach out to the said herbalist. The family contacted the herbalist, who denied seeing him but promised to do some spiritual incantations so their brother could return alive.”
Edafe noted that after the family of the deceased had spent a considerable amount on a search that yielded no results, they decided to report the matter to the police.
“Having spent money on the herbalist, and the result was not forthcoming, they then reported the matter at the Agbor Area command via a petition on 14th October 2025. And this decision proved to be the turning point in the case as the area command detectives embarked on an intelligence-led investigation. During the course of the investigation, the detectives uncovered the last person whom Friday Liberty contacted, and found out it was the same herbalist who denied knowing his whereabouts. Surveillance was laid around his shrine at Owa-Alidima in Ika North East LGA, for days, until he was arrested on 23rd October 2025, in his shrine while hiding inside a refrigerator.”
Following the arrest of the herbalist, he confessed that he and his brother, Smart, were responsible for kidnapping Liberty Friday, the victim, and Isioma Ugbeje, the motorcycle rider who transported him to the shrine.
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“They further stated that Friday Liberty has been his long-time customer who frequently visits him to hypnotise clients so they could give him money easily( in his words, ‘to tie clients ‘). The herbalist said his elder brother approached him that he needed money and advised him to lure any of his clients so they could kidnap him and ask for ransom, and the unlucky person they could lure was Liberty Friday. They kidnapped him and the Okada Rider and demanded a ransom of Ten Million Niara (#10,000,000). When they noticed that the plan was not working, they murdered him and the motorcycle rider and dumped their bodies in a soakaway pit by the shrine. ”
Edafe stated that the suspects are currently in custody, while the remains of the victims have been evacuated and deposited at the mortuary for an autopsy while the Commissioner of Police in Delta Satate, Olufemi has assured the public that justice will be served.
