UNBELIEVABLE! Story Of Clifford Orji, Nigeria’s First Known Serial Killer; Human Flesh Eater
Clifford Orji, originally from Enugu State in southeastern Nigeria, lived much of his life in Lagos, in the southwestern region of the country. Initially, Orji presented himself as a humble razor- blade seller, blending into the bustling life of the city. However, he would later abandon this trade, revealing a much darker side to his existence. Proclaiming himself a shaman, Orji would frequently feign bouts of temporary insanity to keep people at a distance from his unusual place of residence.
Orji did not live in a conventional home. Instead, he took refuge under a bridge in the Oshodi- Isolo area of Lagos. His hideout, a make- shift shelter, would soon gain a grim reputation and become known as ” Clifford’ s Kitchen. ” Residents in the area had grown accustomed to the strange man living under the bridge, and while they suspected his behavior wasn’ t normal, they were unprepared for the horrifying revelations that were to come.
At night, Orji would blanket the air with the distinct smell of burning meat, cooking his ‘ special barbecue. ‘ The locals thought him to be eccentric, perhaps mentally unstable, but few could have imagined the extent of the darkness that lurked beneath his unassuming exterior. All of that changed on a fateful Wednesday, February 3, 1999.
On that day, the chilling cries of a woman in distress echoed through the night, attracting the attention of passers- by. The terrified, emaciated woman had been held captive by Orji, awaiting her gruesome fate. When locals rushed to her aid, they stumbled upon an unimaginable scene of horror— Orji’ s lair was filled with human remains. Bones, skulls, dismembered body parts, and even a pot of freshly cooked human meat were found in his makeshift dwelling. Additionally, police discovered a cheque for ₦80, 000 and a mobile phone— an unusual possession at the time, as mobile phones were not yet widely available in Nigeria and were a luxury for the wealthy.
The discovery sent shockwaves through the community. Surrounded by an outraged crowd, Orji attempted to flee, but he was quickly caught. It wasn’ t until after he was dragged back to his lair that another chilling discovery was made— a small, malnourished woman named Awawu Lawal was found imprisoned in his shack, trapped within the confines of old tires. She had been awaiting her turn to be slaughtered and eaten.
The sight of Lawal’ s frail body infuriated the mob, and they descended upon Orji, beating him savagely until the police arrived and took him into custody. Sadly, Lawal, weakened by her ordeal, slipped into a coma and died just days later.
The horror didn’ t end with Orji’ s capture. The mob soon turned their anger toward another man, Tahiru Aliyu, who was known to be a close associate of Orji and lived nearby. When his shack was demolished, a 4- meter pit was discovered beneath it— used to imprison some of the victims before they were murdered and cooked.
In police custody, Orji made a chilling confession. He revealed that he would lure women to his lair by blowing on their foreheads, which he claimed would entrance them and compel them to follow him. Once at his hideout, he would sexually assault them until they were unconscious. Then, he and his accomplices would kill and cook their victims. ” I am not alone, ” Orji confessed. ” I have between four and 10 people. They take their own parts and go while I wait for another ‘ meat. ‘ ”
Orji’ s confessions fueled speculation that his gruesome activities extended beyond mere cannibalism for personal consumption. Many believed that he was part of a larger network involved in the trade of human body parts, a market that is discreet but known in Nigeria, particularly for use in religious or medicinal rituals. Locals had often noticed luxury cars stopping beneath the bridge where Orji lived, leading to the belief that wealthy and influential figures might have been involved in these horrific transactions. Notably, none of Orji’ s victims were ever found with their heads, further suggesting that the body parts may have been sold for ritualistic purposes.
During a police news conference, Orji openly admitted to kidnapping, murder, and cannibalism. He shockingly stated that he and his accomplices had been eating human flesh for seven years, even before they moved to Lagos. ” It is our culture to eat human meat, ” Orji claimed. Following his confession, he was charged with murder and remanded to Kirikiri Prison, Nigeria’ s only super- maximum security facility, on December 7, 2000.
