A suspect, Gbesemehan Dewanu Solomon, has been arrested over the alleged harvesting of human skulls from graves in Ipokia community, the headquarters of Ipokia Local Government Area of Ogun State.
Daily Trust had reported how suspected ritualists exhumed at least 50 corpses and cut off their heads in the ancient community between November 2022 and January, 2023.
Residents said the hoodlums, usually at midnight, would storm graveyards and in many cases, compounds where people buried their loved ones to carry out the heinous crime.
They alleged that the security agencies have failed to apprehend any suspect in connection with the crime.
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It was gathered that community leaders rose to the challenge and put a security team in place to go after the culprits.
The locals told Daily Trust that the communal efforts paid off in the early hours of Tuesday as Solomon was caught in the act at an area called Idologun in the town.
It was gathered that the suspect was about to exhume a skull when he was nabbed by residents.
He was reportedly apprehended with a skull in his bag and the tools he uses in digging out the dry heads.
The Onipokia of Ipokia, Oba Yisa Olaniyan confirmed to newsmen that one of the ritualists disturbing Ipokia town had been arrested.
According to the monarch, the suspect has been handed over to the police and investigation has commenced immediately.
Olaniyan appealed to the Ogun State Police Command to do everything necessary to fish out the accomplices of Solomon and those buying the skulls from him, saying “We must get to the root of this matter and everybody involved must face the law, no matter who they are.”
He disclosed that human skulls were recovered from the man’s house when it was searched by the police.
The police spokesman, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said he had not been briefed on the matter.
However, police sources have confirmed the arrest, saying the man is still being interrogated.
