Court remands 8 suspected ritualists caught with 11 human skulls

A middle-aged woman, Aisahat Yunusa, and seven others have been arraigned before an Ilorin Magistrate’s Court for allegedly engaging in buying and selling of human parts.

The accused were arraigned on a three-count charge of buying and selling of human parts, unlawful opening of graves and unlawful possession of human parts.

The other accused include Azeez Yakub, Ahmed Yahaya, Soliu Ayinde, AbdulGaniyu Bamidele, AbdulRasak Babamale and Lukman Saka.

The accused were arrested on October 5, 2018, on the strength of intelligence gathering by the Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, ‘D’. Division, Adewole, Ilorin that one Azeez Yakub (first accused) of No. 20, Opa Compound, Adeta, Ilorin on the allegation of being in possession of human parts.

Police said that immediate search conducted at the house and premises of Yakub led to the recovery of 11 suspected human skulls, bones suspected to be human bones, as well as some quantity of hair suspected to be human hair concealed in the ceiling of the house.

Police First Information Report (FIR) stated that discreet investigation conducted into the case by the Inspector General of Police Monitoring Unit, Police Force Headquarters, Abuja led to the arrest of the other accused within Ilorin metropolis who were discovered to be the receivers of the various suspected human parts.

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The FIR added that the accused confessed, during an investigation, to have at one time or the other bought human parts from the said Yakub.

The FIR added further that investigation also led to the arrest of Kadri (eight accused), a member of one of the vigilante groups whom Yakub said he introduced him into the business of selling human parts, and as well his (Kadir) major supplier of human parts which both of them usually exhumed from various graves within the metropolis.

The offences for which the accused were brought before the court contravene Sections 1, 4 and 7 of the Kwara State Prohibition of Dealing in Human Parts Law, No. 4 of 2018.

The Prosecutor, ASP Kunle Iwalaye told the court that investigation into the case was ongoing.

He, however, objected bail of the accused and urged the court to remand them in prison custody pending the outcome of the investigation.

The presiding Magistrate, Mohammed Ndakene agreed with the submission of the prosecutor, as he ordered that the accused be remanded at the Federal Prison Yard, Oke-Kura, Ilorin until the next adjourned date.

The court adjourned the case till November 13 for further mention.