Jelili Gbadamosi
A joint security operation by the Oyo State Police Command and the Oyo State Security Network Agency, codenamed Amotekun, has led to the arrest of two suspected ritualists for allegedly exhuming and possessing a human skull in Ijio, Iwajowa Local Government Area of the state.
The suspects, identified as Shittu Isah and Tunde Ajibade, were arrested following credible intelligence received by the police about the unlawful possession of an item suspected to be a human skull.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, said the Commissioner of Police, Abimbola Olugbenga, ordered an intelligence-led operation that resulted in the arrest of Isah in the Kajola area of Ijio.
According to the statement, operatives recovered the suspected human skull during the operation and preserved it as an exhibit.
Olayinka said Isah confessed during interrogation that he exhumed the skull from a Muslim burial ground in Ijio and disclosed that he did not act alone.
The confession subsequently led to the arrest of Ajibade, who is currently assisting the police with ongoing investigations.
The police said the recovered exhibit would undergo forensic examination to ascertain its nature, while investigators work to determine the motive behind the act and identify other persons who may be connected to the case.
The command reaffirmed its commitment to protecting lives and property and vowed to ensure that anyone found culpable is brought to justice.
It also urged residents to continue supporting security agencies with timely and credible information to help prevent and combat crime across the state.
