Two men, Mustapha Bello and Damilare Oladele, have confessed to being involved in the gruesome act of exhuming human heads from graves in the Amuloko area of Ibadan, Oyo State, for a meager payment of N5,000 per head.
The suspects were apprehended by operatives of the Oyo State Command of the Western Nigeria Security Network, codenamed Amotekun.
Bello, a 32-year-old carpenter, and Oladele, a 25-year-old barber, were caught after a night guard in the area noticed them carrying a suspicious bag in the early hours of Monday. When confronted, Bello attempted to flee but was eventually subdued by the vigilant guard, while Oladele managed to escape temporarily.
During questioning, Bello revealed the details of their operation. He explained that he was introduced to the gruesome trade by a man named Saheed, who works as a security guard. Saheed had approached Bello with the offer when Bello confided in him about his financial struggles. However, Saheed only disclosed the true nature of the work when they arrived at the gravesite.
Bello recounted how they dug up the graves with a cutlass and their bare hands to retrieve the heads, which Saheed would later sell. For his role in the operation, Bello received N5,000 as his share.
In a separate interview, Oladele admitted to participating in the crime. He explained that his role was to act as a lookout while Bello carried out the exhumation. Oladele detailed how they would arrive at the targeted grave around 10 p.m., hiding until after midnight before beginning the digging process. After retrieving the head, they would conceal it until dawn before leaving the area. Oladele also confessed that they had carried out this macabre act five times, each time receiving N5,000 for their efforts.
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The suspects disclosed that their most recent operation occurred in the early hours of Monday at a gravesite in Amuloko, Ona Ara Local Government Area. They had targeted a recently buried corpse, following instructions from a man named Afaa, who provided them with the details of the location. After removing the head, the duo hid in a nearby school until dawn before attempting to leave the area.
However, their plan was thwarted when they were confronted by the night guard, leading to Bello’s arrest. Oladele was later apprehended when he returned to his shop to check on Bello’s situation. He was recognized by a security personnel who had seen a video of Bello’s arrest circulating online. The security personnel, who was familiar with Oladele, confronted him, leading to his confession and eventual arrest.
Oladele further revealed that Saheed, the mastermind behind the operation, is a native doctor who had previously worked with Bello. Saheed was responsible for selling the severed heads and paying the suspects for their work.
Both suspects are now in custody as investigations continue.
