Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have arrested a suspected ritualist, Saheed Babalola, for allegedly exhuming the corpse of an 18-year-old girl and severing her head and wrist in Feesu community, near Iwo, Osun State.
The deceased, who lived in the same compound as the suspect, reportedly died under suspicious circumstances on Sunday and was buried later that day within the premises.
Babalola was said to have joined other mourners during the burial before allegedly returning to the gravesite in the early hours of Monday with two accomplices.
The trio allegedly exhumed the corpse and severed its head and wrist.
However, residents reportedly apprehended Babalola after hearing strange sounds from the burial site and going to investigate, while his alleged accomplices fled.
A resident of Feesu, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of being targeted, told our correspondent in a telephone interview on Wednesday that residents handed the suspect over to the police.
“Three people came to perpetrate the act, but we were able to apprehend one of them, and he was handed over to the police,” the resident said.
Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Osun State Police Command, Abiodun Ojelabi, said the suspect was cooperating with investigators.
Ojelabi said the incident occurred on October 12, a day after the deceased was buried at Olomo Compound, Feesu, Iwo, where both the suspect and the deceased lived.
“Police officers went to the scene, and the suspect, Saheed Babalola, was arrested. The incident occurred on October 12. The deceased was buried on the 11th.
“Reports said that the neighbours heard a strange noise, and when they went out, they met Saheed where they had buried the deceased,” he said.
The police spokesman added that Babalola was initially arrested by operatives of the Iwo Police Division before being transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation.
According to Ojelabi, investigators later discovered where the suspect allegedly kept the severed body parts and recovered the head and wrist.
“We were able to recover the head and the hand. Investigation is still ongoing. Both the suspect and the deceased lived at the same address in Olomo Compound, Feesu, in Iwo,” he said.
The police have yet to disclose the identities of the two alleged accomplices, who reportedly escaped from the scene.
The incident comes amid reports of similar suspected ritual-related crimes in the region.
It was earlier reported that the Kwara State Police Command arrested four men in connection with two separate cases involving the alleged removal of human heads from exhumed corpses and the possession of suspected human hands reportedly intended for money-making rituals.
The Commissioner of Police in Kwara State, Ojo Adekimi, disclosed the arrests while briefing journalists at the command headquarters in Ilorin, where he provided details of the investigations into the two cases.