A 54-year-old man, Adelani Oriyomi, was apprehended in the early hours of Tuesday by the Ogun State Community, Social Orientation, and Safety Corps, also known as So-Safe Corps, for allegedly attempting to exhume a human skull at a burial ground in Kere, Obada-Oko, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

The arrest, confirmed in a statement by the Commander of the So-Safe Corps, Soji Ganzallo, came after officers on routine patrol observed suspicious activity near a church at about 2:35 a.m. on January 21, 2025.

According to Ganzallo, the suspect was initially spotted trying to hide on a parcel of land behind the church. “Once the coast seemed clear, he resumed digging the tomb to allegedly retrieve a human skull. However, the officers returned to the scene, apprehending him before he could escape,” the statement read.

A Confession of Ritual Intent

During interrogation, Oriyomi, a resident of Kere, Obada-Oko in Ewekoro Local Government Area, confessed to exhuming a skull on January 18, 2025, from a tomb near his home. He admitted that his latest attempt was to retrieve another skull to complete the number required for a money ritual preparation known locally as ‘Osole.’

Oriyomi further revealed that he had sold nearly ten skulls in the past and was a serial offender with a criminal history. He previously served two years in prison for similar offences in Ado-Odo and an additional six years and nine months at the Oba Correctional Centre following another conviction in Obada-Oko.

Exhibit Handed Over to Police

The So-Safe Corps recovered a fully dried human skull at the scene, which has been handed over to the Nigeria Police Force, Obada Divisional Headquarters, for further investigation and potential prosecution.

Call for Community Vigilance

Commander Ganzallo urged community leaders to be vigilant in screening tenants and visitors, emphasizing that such vigilance could prevent criminal activities. “Proper tenant screening ensures 70% of home security, with the remaining 30% relying on alertness to external threats,” he noted.

This arrest underscores the growing need for collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities to curb ritual-related crimes in the region.