The Nigerian Police Force (NPF) has arrested a Chief Imam and four other suspected ritualists in possession of a human skull and other body parts in Lagos State.
The suspects were apprehended by residents of Adamo area of Ikorodu on Thursday, who handed them over to the anti-kidnapping and cultist Police Unit at Araro Adamo.
One of the suspects, an Islamic cleric, was caught with the human skull and he confessed that he was working for his principal, Imam Babalola, the Chief Imam of the area.
A resident and eyewitness who spoke to newsmen on Friday said that he was shocked by the discovery, as he had known the Imam for more than five years and regarded him as a respected religious leader.
“I have known the Imam for more than 5 years and this is a man the whole community is standing behind to pray, someone that most of us are looking up to,” the source said.
“People caught of his men with the head and some human parts, he confessed that he was holding them for the Imam. This was when the people stormed the Imam house and arrested him together with four of his men,” the source added.
This incident comes barely three months after another Islamic preacher was arrested by the Oyo State Police Command over alleged possession of recently harvested body parts.
The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the command, Adewale Osifeso, a Superintendent of Police, said that the culprit was nabbed on November 6, 2023 at around 10:00 in the morning in Ogbere-tioya area, Ibadan, following credible intelligence reports from members of the public.
“The dragnet of the command caught up with the cleric after purposeful investigations and tracking around Ogbere-tioya Area, Ibadan, under Ona-ara local government area.
“The suspect was found in possession of items suspected to be fresh human head and two hands,” which he said were given to him by one Tijani Waheed, now at large,” Osifeso said.
The suspect confessed to newsmen that he intended to use the human parts for money ritual, as he was facing financial difficulties.
“I have one wife and two children and things are very hard for me in taking good care of them.
“I met one Waheed, who is also an Islamic cleric at a Maolud. We discussed the issue and he told me that he knows how to do a money ritual that would require the use of human parts.
“I told him that I don’t know how to get the human parts and he promised to get it for me. He later brought the human parts to me at Amuloko where we met early in the morning and I kept it in my office where I attend to people seeking spiritual assistance.
“The police came to search my office on the day Waheed gave me the fresh head and two hands,” he said.
The police said that they are still on the trail of Waheed and other accomplices, and that the suspects will be charged to court after investigation.