Police arrest chief who force-fed young man with poison for stealing two cobs of corn in Osun

The police in Osun State have arrested a chief in Osun State, Ajibade Gbenga, after he allegedly force-fed a young man a poisonous substance after he caught him stealing two cobs of corn on his farm.

The arrested chief is the Ejimo of Ipetu-Ijesa, and is said to be highly respected in the community.

About a week ago, the Gbenga caught a 25-year-old man, Ebenezer, with two cobs of corn he stole from his farm in the Ireti Ayo area of Ilesa.

Chief Ajibade Gbenga reportedly beat him severely before forcing him to drink a poisonous concoction from a cup.

The chief released Ebenezer to go home and die, but sympathisers rushed him to the Wesley Guild Hospital in Ilesa.

Doctors at the hospital were able to neutralise the effect of the poisonous substance and stabilise the victim.

However, the news of the incident killed the aged father of the victim, as he had thought his son was dead.

Osun State Police Command’s spokesperson, Abiodun Ojelabi, said the suspect was in police custody.

A viral video of the incident uploaded by an Ilesa-based journalist, Isaac Haastrup, shows Chief Gbenga holding a cutlass, threatening Ebenezer.

The video later showed the chief holding a cup of a whitish substance to Ebenezer’s mouth.

A source told the Punch that they came to the assistance of the victim after the chief released him.

According to the source, they rushed Ebenezer to the Accident and Emergency Unit of Wesley Hospital, where the doctors immediately administered drugs to neutralise the poison.

Chief Gbenga, who is said to be 62 years old, has now been moved to Osogbo as the police continue with their investigations.

See the video of the chief forcing Ebenezer to drink the poisonous substance here.