A 37-year-old suspected ritualist, Yusuf Adinohi, has been arrested by the Ondo State Police Command for selling human skulls. He claimed to have taken up the trade to save his ailing mother.
Adinohi was apprehended at the Agbasi Locust checkpoint in Ase area of Isua Akoko, Ondo State, while traveling from Okene in Kogi State to Osogbo in Osun State. The police found eight human skulls in his possession.
The suspect admitted that he had made N245,000 from the sale of seven skulls at N35,000 each. He sourced the skulls from his friend, Ismaila, who obtained them from burial grounds.
Adinohi revealed that he had previously sold palm oil and cashew nuts but was not making enough money to cater to his mother’s medical needs. His mother required N2 million for treatment, which prompted him to venture into the illegal business.
He claimed that he met his buyers on Facebook and sold the skulls to them for use in their supposed herbal remedies. The police commissioner, Abayomi Oladipo, stated that further investigations are ongoing to unravel the extent of Adinohi’s involvement in the human skull trade and to identify his customers.
The police commissioner added that Adinohi’s arrest was made during a stop-and-search operation at Isua Akoko. The suspect’s confession has sparked outrage among Nigerians, who are calling for authorities to take stern action against those involved in the illegal trade.
