Cult members believed to be members of the Isoro cult group in Ile Ife on Friday seized the corpse of Obalufe of Iremo Quarters, Ife, Oba Solomon Omisakin the Traditional Prime Minister of Ile Ife, for some hours before the remains were released for burial.
There was confusion at the Iremo palace of Obalufe when the cult members besieged the palace and siezed the corpse.
The late Obalufe until his dead was the head of Ife kingmakers who administered Ile Ife during the interregnum created by the demise of Oba Okunade Sijuwade.
He died on October 15 shortly before the new Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, was announced as Sijuwade’s successor.
The initial rumour in Ife on Friday was that members of Ogboni Confraternity were the ones who seized the corpse. However, they later said those who seized the corpse had nothing to do with Ogboni but the Isoro cult.
Other sources confirmed that the corpse was seized by a cult group, who demanded N500, 000 and other items from children of the deceased before they could be allowed to bury their father.
The seizure caused a delay as the family could not bury the dead as scheduled until family members paid some undisclosed amount and bought some items for sacrifice for the cult group.
Source: Punch News