The Lagos State Police Command has apprehended a gang of suspected ritualists allegedly involved in the gruesome act of killing people and harvesting their body parts for sale. This shocking revelation came to light during a recent parade of ten individuals suspected to be part of the syndicate.
According to a report by Sahara Reporters, Benjamin Hundeyin, the command's Public Relations Officer, disclosed that among the apprehended suspects were a woman described as an Osun priestess, a community chief, an Ifa priest, an Islamic cleric, and a trado-medical practitioner. Hundeyin revealed that the arrests were made following intelligence reports from vigilant members of the public.
The leader of the gang, identified as 33-year-old Ademola Akinlosotu, initially confessed to exhuming corpses from cemeteries and selling their parts to ritualists. However, he later admitted to more heinous crimes, confessing to killing individuals and selling their body parts to customers on demand.
Akinlosotu, in a chilling revelation, disclosed the going rates for human body parts in their illicit trade. "A fresh human head is sold at N45,000 or N50,000 while a dried human head sells between N30,000 and N35,000; heart for N70,000 and hands for N50,000," he stated.
Akinlosotu admitted to his involvement in the murders of two individuals, including a friend he met through social media. He confessed that he transitioned from exhuming corpses to actively harvesting fresh body parts, catering to the demands of his clients.
The suspect further alleged that their operations involved consulting with a herbalist to determine the success of their killings. Shockingly, he claimed that a traditional ruler in Badagry had requested him to kill his own son, citing familial disputes as the motive.
Akinlosotu recounted how a friend who visited him was killed to satisfy their demand for body parts. "All he harvests, when he kills, is the person’s head, the heart, and the hands," he admitted.
Hundeyin disclosed that various human body parts were recovered from the suspects as exhibits, as the police intensify efforts to apprehend other members of the syndicate. He assured that the suspects would be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.
The apprehension of these suspects underlines the need for continued vigilance and collaborative efforts between law enforcement agencies and the public to combat such heinous crimes. The Lagos State Police Command remains resolute in its commitment to ensuring the safety and security of residents, and perpetrators of such gruesome acts will face the full wrath of the law.