In a shocking development, two mortuary attendants in Osun State have been apprehended for allegedly selling human body parts to ritualists. The Osun State Police Command made the arrests after a tip-off from a concerned citizen, revealing a disturbing network between the mortuary workers and local spiritualists involved in ritual practices.
The Acting Police Public Relations Officer, Giwa-Alade Emmanuel, confirmed the arrests during a press briefing at the police headquarters in Osogbo on Wednesday, September 18, 2024. He identified the mortuary attendants as Johnson Daniel, 43, and Adetunji Okunade, 42. Both were employed at a mortuary in Ipetu-Ijesa and were reportedly involved in the illicit sale of human remains to suspected ritualists. Among those also apprehended were the alleged buyers: Olaniyan Azeez, Balogun Temitope Asimiyu, Oladapo Hammed, Kazeem Rasak, and Asaka Rauf.
Emmanuel detailed the grim operation, explaining that the suspects were apprehended based on credible intelligence from a concerned citizen. “We received information that Johnson Daniel, a mortuary attendant at Ipetu-Ijesa, had been selling human remains deposited at the mortuary to native doctors and spiritualists for ritual purposes,” Emmanuel revealed. The investigation further uncovered that Daniel and his accomplice, Adetunji Okunade, not only sold human body parts but also water used in bathing corpses—believed to have mystical properties—to their clients.
A police search of the suspects’ homes yielded further evidence, including human bone fragments found in the residences of Asaka Rauf and Oladapo Hammed. Additionally, a female undergarment and a notebook filled with ritual instructions were discovered in the home of Balogun Temitope Asimiyu, pointing to their active involvement in ritualistic practices.
The police spokesperson confirmed that all the suspects have been charged to court and will face prosecution for their roles in the gruesome activities. The arrests have sent shockwaves through the community, prompting calls for tighter regulation of mortuary services and increased vigilance in preventing such illegal and unethical activities.