The Niger State Police Command has apprehended five individuals in possession of a human skull, which they intended to use for ritual purposes to acquire money.
According to a statement released on Friday, September 22, by the command’s spokesperson, DSP Wasiu Abiodun, the suspects revealed that they had been instructed by an Alfa to obtain the skull.
Abiodun further stated that the whereabouts of the Alfa remained unknown.
Furthermore, he mentioned that two of the suspects, Isah Mohammed, 26, and Idris Mohammed, 28, both hailing from Sakpe village in Edati LGA, had been initially arrested, and they subsequently led the authorities to the other three suspects.
The statement reads: “On the 11th of this month, at about 12:30, operatives of a sister security agency, while on routine patrol at toll gate along Bida-Minna Road, intercepted a Mitsubishi Lancer vehicle, and in the course of searching the passengers, two suspects were arrested.
“The two suspects were found in possession of a human skull wrapped in a Bagco bag, hence, the suspects were transferred to the Police Area Command, Bida for interrogation and further investigation.
“During police interrogation, the suspects claimed that they got the human skull from their village, and mentioned three other persons who aided in digging the grave where the skull was exhumed; Ibrahim Jiya 18, Suleiman Usman 22, Abdullahi Usman 24, all of the same address mentioned above.
“The three suspects were also arrested and confessed further that the skull was dug out from the Sakpe village burial ground and that it was that of one Ndako Daniyan who died three years ago in the same village.
“Isah and Abdullahi claimed to have met one Alfa Suleiman from Kwara State at Bida three weeks ago who told them to get a human skull for money ritual purposes and instructed them to take it to someone in Minna with thirty thousand naira only, while the unknown recipient said that when they get to Kpakungu, they should call him and he would meet them.”
The spokesman said the five suspects have been transferred to SCID Minna for discreet investigation and diligent prosecution.
