The Oyo Police Command has apprehended two person in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital over possession of human body.

Police said that the suspects specialised in exhuming buried corpses and selling their body parts for ritual purpose in Ibadan.

A statement by the spokesman of the Command, Adewale Osifeso while narrating how the suspects were arrested said: “On Tuesday March 18, 2025, at about 0230Hrs, detectives from the Iyaganku Divisional Police Headquarters, acting on a tip-off, conducted a search at the residence of one Ridwan Bello, a 35yrs,’m’ also known as Asalailu, located at the Muslim area of Ibadan.

“During the search, a female human torso and other dismembered human remains, including severed limbs and dried bones, which were stored in bags and a paint bucket were recovered. In his confession, Bello claimed to have exhumed the corpse from a cemetery in Awa-Ijebu, Ijebu North Local Government Area of Ogun State, and admitted to selling the body parts to ritualists. He later led detectives to the cemetery, where his claim was verified.

“Further confession by the suspect led to the arrest of one Fatai Adeleke, 70 yrs ‘m’, his accomplice who buys human parts from the suspect for ritual purposes. Adeleke also admitted to his involvement in the illicit trade in human body parts.

“The case has transferred to the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department for detailed investigation, as efforts are being intensified to identify and apprehend all those involved.

“The Command urges managers of cemeteries to exercise heightened vigilance in light of recent instances of ritualists exhuming corpses. Additionally, transporters are advised to scrutinize the contents of their passengers’ loads to avoid inadvertently facilitating illicit activities.

“Finally, the Command encourages the general public to report any suspicious occurrences to the Police or other law enforcement agencies. Contact the Oyo State Call Response Center at 615 or use the following numbers: 08081768614, 09054133071, and 09061299291.

“Remember, if you see something, say something. Together, we can enhance the safety and security of our community.”

As the Edo State Government’s Anti-Kidnapping Task Force continues to bring down property of kidnappers, a middle-aged man, Odianosen Oboh, of Uromi in Edo Central Senatorial District, has lost his inherited property due to his activities in kidnapping.

The property was yesterday demolished by the task force, following his arrest and confession to the crime.

Speaking with reporters before the demolition, Oboh said he recently received N800,000 as proceeds from his last mission.

He said: “My name na Odianosen Oboh. Na my house be this. My papa build am, but I finish the house. Na my friend Epama I follow, we carry one man from Ekpoma, as we carry am, the car when we use spoil, I come use my bike carry am.

“We carry am go inside bush for Uromi, we spent three days inside the bush before they pay us N5 million. Na five of us do the job and them give me N800,000. I use the money pay some kind debts when I owe before.”

On how he was arrested, he said: “Na Epama when them hold confess me, and them come pick me. Now them wan break my house, my papa house because of N800,000. My family no go get house again. My children they are outside now. Anybody that see crime should run from crime.”

The Special Adviser to Governor Monday Okpebholo on Security Affairs, Mr. Akhere Paul, after supervising the demolition of the fourth property of kidnap suspects, said the Edo governor would not relent, until kidnapping ended in the state.

Paul said: “My advice to everybody is that, there is no peace for the wicked. Those ones still kidnapping should know the government will not stop.

“Your time will come and we will come for you. We will chase them, continue to chase them, and we will continue to bring their houses down.”

The Commander, Task Force, Michael Anetor, a Superintendent of Police (SP), said the suspects, who belonged to a gang of five, had confessed to the crime and the task force had to enforce the law.

The family of the murdered Dnako village head in Bwari Area Council of the FCT, HRH Etsu Yuda Garba, has revealed that the two grandchildren of the village head, including five other residents who were abducted alongside the chief, are still alive in their abductors’ captivity.

A family member of the late village head, Mr. Tanko Baba, while giving update on the incident through telephone on Tuesday, said the kidnappers’ leader called on Monday, saying the chief’s grandchildren and the five other residents were alive and healthy.

He said during the conversation, the family pleaded with the kidnappers’ leader to cut down the ransom to a level that they could afford, and he agreed to reduce it from N100 million to N90 million.

He said, “It was my elder brother that spoke with the leader of the kidnappers on Monday, around 11:23 am and during the conversation, the kidnappers’ leader gave the phone to the chief’s grandchildren to confirm that they are alive alongside the five other residents.’’

He said their leader insisted on the N90 million ransom, adding that they threatened to kill one of the victims again should the family delay in raising the money.

He said, “As am talking to you right now, the family are in state of devastation because we don’t know how and where to raise such money. And that is how they threatened to kill the chief like play, at the end, they ended up killing him.”

It would be recalled that the kidnappers had on March 11, 2025 invaded Dnako village in Bwari around 12:03 am and abducted the late chief, two of his grandchildren, Ephraim and Philemon, alongside five other residents of the community.

The kidnappers who had earlier demanded for N100 ended up killing the chief on Sunday, and dumped his corpse at Knakuchi village under Kagarko LGA of Kaduna State.

The corpse of the late chief was retrieved by the vigilantes and he was buried in Dnako village in Bwari.

(Daily Trust)