The Ogun State Police Command in Nigeria has announced plans to prosecute Lekan Akinyemi, who was apprehended for allegedly exhuming and decapitating a corpse for ritual purposes in Abeokuta, the state capital’s Itoko area.
According to a report by PUNCH Online on Tuesday, Akinyemi was arrested following a tip-off from a resident who noticed suspicious activities near his father’s grave. Upon inspecting the grave, the resident discovered that the head of his father’s corpse had been gruesomely severed.
Acting swiftly on the report, police officers from the Adatan Division launched an operation and caught Akinyemi red-handed at the scene of the crime.
Confirming the incident, the Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Omolola Odutola, stated in a phone conversation with reporters, “A resident of Iyana Cele Car Wash, Abeokuta, visited the police station and reported that on June 23, 2024, at about 08:00hrs, his sibling alerted him to unusual activities at their late father’s grave in Isale Itoko, Abeokuta.”
“After inspection, he found that their father’s head had been removed by an unidentified individual or group. Further investigation led to the identification of Lekan Akinyemi, who was apprehended red-handed as the perpetrator who dug up the grave and severed the head.”
Odutola emphasized that an extensive investigation has commenced into the matter, and upon its conclusion, Akinyemi will face prosecution for his alleged involvement in the ritualistic act.
“Lekan Akinyemi was caught in the act, and the case will be handed over to the Anti-Robbery Unit for thorough investigation before being transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID),” she added.
Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alamutu, has directed a meticulous probe into the incident, underscoring the police’s commitment to combatting crime and ensuring justice for the victims.
“While reassuring residents of the state, the PPRO urged the public to refrain from engaging in ritual killings, emphasizing that such acts are not only criminal but also rooted in myths,” Odutola concluded.
PunchOnline.com