The Oyo State Police Command has arrested a man, Sodiq Rasheed, for alleged possession of three human skulls for money-making ritual in Ibadan, the state capital.
The suspect allegedly confessed to have raided a cemetery in the city and exhumed the human skulls.
He reportedly told the police that a herbalist promised to help him use them for money ritual to make him get rich quick.
Rasheed was quoted as saying that life had not been fair to him, having lived in poverty all his life.
But his desire to free himself from poverty led him into police net.
Police Commissioner Abiodun Odude, who paraded 35 other suspects for various crimes at the police headquarters in Eleyele, Ibadan, yesterday, said Rasheed, 27, was arrested by the anti-crime team of the command during a patrol on July 25, 2018.
He said: “A suspected ritualist was intercepted and arrested by the patrol team with three human skulls exhumed from a cemetery in Omi-Adio area of Ibadan. He was arrested with the exhibits on Ijebu-Ode/Idi-Ayunre road. He said an Islamic cleric, simply called Alfa Hadi, currently on the run, requested him to bring the human parts for the purpose of money ritual.”
The suspect said he specialised in gathering firewood for his customers and that he met the cleric when he worked for me.
“I visited the cemetery at Omi-Adio and exhumed the three skulls. Alfa Hadi said three skulls would be used to make money ritual for me. I hid the skulls in a cellophane bag and on my way to the Alfa’s place, I was stopped by the police and arrested.”
The suspect, who pleaded for mercy, said he used to cut firewood for a living until he fell into the hands of the cleric, who he said promised to make him rich if he could provide three human skulls.
“The Alfa contracted me to cut some trees for him. He saw my suffering and, in the process, asked me if I could get the skulls for the money ritual. I agreed to do it to end my suffering,” Rasheed said.
