The police command in Ogun on Thursday arrested a seven-man gang that specialised in trading in human parts for rituals.

Police commissioner Abiodun Olamutu said a human heart and two kegs filled with human bodies were parts of exhibits recovered from the suspects.

The men arrested included Moses Abidemi, Oluwo Monday, Peter Akiwunmi Ifatosin, Jamiu Yusuf, Sheriff Agbai and Osojieahen Alioneitoura, Alamutu said.

Mr Alamutu said the divisional police office, Onipanu, received a report of a missing lady, Ms Sulaiimon Adijat, on January 9, who was invited out on a date by one Adebayo Azeez.

“Despite frantic efforts to locate her whereabouts, the mobile phone has been switched off since the day she was reported missing. 

“Consequently, the anti-kidnapping unit of the command was drafted to unravel the mystery behind her disappearance, and a technical-based investigation was embarked on,” the police chief said.

According to him, the investigation revealed that the suspects were involved in a money ritual known as ‘Oshole’ to produce N200 million within seven days.

“Oluwo Monday charged the duo of Agbai and Alioneitouria N800,000 to prepare the materials for the ritual money.

“Oluwo Monday, in furtherance of his criminal intention, later contacted one Peter, who was not new in the trade of human parts, to source for a lady between the age of 18 and 20 years,” he explained.

The police chief said Mr Ifatosin was to deliver the lady’s mutilated body parts, specifically the head, two breasts, virginal and two wrists that would be used for the ritual.

“However, on January 10, Sheriff and Osojieahen collected the ritual money from Oluwo and travelled back to their location in Edo state. Trouble started when Osojieahen used the ritual element as directed by Oluwo and complained bitterly that it failed to yield the expected sum of N200 million in seven days.

“A search was conducted in the shrine of Moses on February 3 and 10, where female handbags and two cement sacks containing human bones were recovered,” he added.

The police commissioner said all the suspects confessed to the alleged crime and their roles.

He said an investigation was ongoing to arrest other fleeing suspects.

(NAN)