The Osun State Police Command announced on Wednesday the arrest of seven suspects involved in the sale of human body parts and water used to bathe corpses in the state.
According to a statement by the Acting Police Public Relations Officer for Osun Command, Emmanuel Giwa-Alade, the suspects include two mortuary attendants: 43-year-old Johnson Daniel and 42-year-old Adetunji Okunade. The other suspects were identified as Olaniyan Azeez, Balogun Temitope, Oladapo Hammed, Kazeem Rasaq, and Asaka Rauf.
Giwa-Alade explained that the arrests were made after a concerned individual provided credible information that Daniel, a mortuary attendant in Ipetu-Ijesa, was selling human remains from the mortuary to native doctors.
“The suspects used these remains obtained from Johnson Daniel for various ritual purposes. Daniel also admitted to conspiring with his colleague, Adetunji Okunade, to sell water used to bathe corpses to interested native doctors,” Giwa-Alade said.
During the investigation, a search of the suspects’ residences led to the discovery of fragments believed to be human skulls at the homes of Asaka Rauf and Oladapo Hammed. Additionally, at the residence of Balogun Temitope Asimiyu, police recovered a female undergarment and a notebook containing instructions for ritual practices.
In a related development, Giwa-Alade reported the arrest of three individuals for advocating support for the Yoruba Nation.
Oluwafemi Fagbuyi was apprehended at Obada Market in Ikire, where he was addressing a crowd and encouraging them to renounce their allegiance to Nigeria. He claimed that Nigeria ceased to exist in 2014 after the centenary of the 1914 amalgamation and displayed the Yoruba Nation flag during his speech.
Following a preliminary investigation, Joy Faseyiku, 63, and Alabede Janet, 64, were also arrested in Osogbo and Ikire, respectively, for their involvement.
Giwa-Alade confirmed that the investigation has been concluded, and the suspects have been charged at the Federal High Court.