Ayomide Awe
The Oyo State Police Command has arrested 10 suspected members of a syndicate allegedly involved in the procurement and sale of human body parts for ritual purposes.
The suspects were arrested at their various hideouts in Iseyin and Saki areas of the state following months of intelligence gathering, discreet surveillance and monitoring by operatives of the Command Monitoring Unit.
The police said the operation yielded the recovery of suspected human parts, including a suspected human heart, pieces of human flesh, portions of a human skull and assorted charms.
The command’s spokesperson, Ayanlade Olayinka, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday, saying the recovered exhibits had been secured for forensic examination as investigations continued.
The suspects were identified as Adam Ibrahim, 42; Nasiru Kabiru, 22; Tijani Wasiu, 54; Abiola Nasiru, 45; Amusa Gbadamosi, 57; Raheem Taofeek, 46; Jimoh Muritala, 35; Suleiman Busari, 47; Ganiyu Nurudeen, 36; and Usman Abdullahi, 52.
According to the police, preliminary investigation indicated that the suspects allegedly confessed to involvement in the handling of human parts for different ritual purposes.
The command said investigators were interrogating the suspects to establish the source of the recovered body parts, how they were procured and their intended destinations.
The police added that efforts were ongoing to identify and arrest other suspected members of the alleged syndicate.
The Commissioner of Police, Oyo State Command, Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, commended the operatives for what he described as a painstaking intelligence-led operation.
Olugbenga assured residents that the command would continue to intensify efforts to dismantle criminal networks and protect lives and property across the state.
He urged residents to remain vigilant and provide the police with credible information capable of helping security agencies prevent and detect criminal activities.
The command said the recovered exhibits would undergo forensic examination, while the investigation would determine the identities of any victims and establish the full extent of the alleged network.
The suspects are expected to face prosecution if investigations establish their culpability.
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