Operatives of the Ogun state police command, in collaboration with local vigilantes, have arrested one Ogidan Mustapha for allegedly mutilating the corpse of a 13-year-old girl.

In a press release issued on Friday, the command’s public relations officer, Omolola Odutola, said the late teenager, identified as Oriyomi Gboyega, is the daughter of the suspect’s neighbour who had died from electrocution.

According to Mrs Odutola, the police, in collaboration with vigilantes, also arrested three other accomplices who aided the suspect in the unethical herbalist practices.

Mrs Odutola said, “the divisional police officer of Igode was informed that on the 20th of September 2024, at about 1:30 a.m., suspicious activity was noticed in a bush near the Igbosoro river in Igode village.”

“Ogidan Mustapha was apprehended while dumping a wrapped corpse in a mat in the area. Upon closer inspection by vigilante operatives, it was discovered that the corpse was a young girl, one Oriyomi Gboyega ‘f’ 13-year-old with both of her hands amputated and wrapped in a mat before being discarded near the river,” the command’s spokesperson stated.

She said the mother of the deceased, identified as Peace Adegboyega, disclosed that “her daughter had died from electrocution on the 19th of September 2024 at about 10:20 a.m., and arrangements were being made for her burial the following day.”

The police said she, however, expressed shock after learning that their neighbour, Mr Ogidan, was found with the amputated body of her daughter in the bush.

Executing a search warrant at the suspect’s residence, the Divisional Police Officer and the vigilante group recovered “two English pump action rifles and various local charms” in his house.

The police said the suspect, during police interrogation, “denied amputating the 13-year-old girl, but confessed that the girl’s father, one Sunday Adegboyega, had asked him to help bury the deceased far from home. Three other suspects of northern origin who assisted in digging the grave were also arrested.”

Stating that further information on the case would be provided, she assured that those arrested would be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for a thorough investigation.