14-year-old boy dies while testing bulletproof charm in Edo

A tragic incident has rocked the Illushi community in Ubiaja, Esan South-East Local Government Area of Edo State, as a 14-year-old boy, Okonkwo Obinna Emmanuel, reportedly died while testing a bulletproof charm.

The incident, which occurred on April 2, 2025, at Iyamu village, has left the community in shock and mourning.

According to reports, the teenager lost his life during a dangerous ritual experiment involving traditional bullet-repelling charms. The matter was brought to the attention of the police by the deceased’s elder brother, Okonkwo Onyenbuchi.

A source, who disclosed this to newsmen on condition of anonymity said a self-acclaimed native doctor, identified as Amechi Edozunor, in collaboration with one Kelvin Ugru, allegedly performed a charm on the victim to make him “invulnerable to bottles.”

He explained that during the ritual, the suspects reportedly struck the boy’s head with a bottle in an attempt to prove the charm’s effectiveness, leading to a fatal head injury.

He added that the victim was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was receiving treatment but later died on April 5, 2025.

The source revealed that the remains of the deceased have been deposited at the hospital mortuary for autopsy.

The source, however, added that two suspects, including the self-acclaimed native doctor, identified as Amechi Edozunor, and one Kelvin Ugru, have been arrested in connection with the death of the minor.

It was learned that the suspects are currently being detained in police custody for further investigation.

When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the Edo State Police Command, Moses Yamu, said he would get back to our Correspondent.

“Just give me some minutes; I will get back to you,” he said.

But, at the time of filling this report, he was yet to call back.