OYO STATE POLICE BUST SYNDICATE SELLING EXHUMED HUMAN BODY PARTS FOR RITUALS
The Oyo State Police Command has uncovered a syndicate involved in exhuming corpses and selling human body parts for ritual purposes in Ibadan, Oyo State.
In a statement released on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, the police detailed how detectives from the Iyaganku Divisional Police Headquarters, acting on credible intelligence, raided the residence of Ridwan Bello, a 35-year-old man known as Asalailu, in the Muslim area of Ibadan at approximately 2:30 AM.
During the search, officers recovered a female human torso, severed limbs, dried bones, and other dismembered remains, all stored in bags and a paint bucket. Upon interrogation, Bello confessed to exhuming corpses 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 claims were confirmed.
Further investigations led to the arrest of Fatai Adeleke, a 70-year-old man, identified as an accomplice who purchased human parts from Bello for ritual purposes. Adeleke also confessed to his involvement in the illegal trade.
The case has been transferred to the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for a comprehensive investigation. Authorities are intensifying efforts to identify and apprehend all individuals connected to the crime.
The Oyo State Police Command has urged cemetery managers to exercise heightened vigilance to prevent further cases of corpse exhumation. Additionally, transport operators are advised to thoroughly inspect passengers’ luggage to avoid inadvertently aiding the transportation of illicit materials.
