Osun police arrest suspects for illegal firearms, human remains

The Osun State Police Command has arrested several suspects in separate operations for unlawful possession of firearms and human remains, as part of efforts to ensure a safe Christmas and New Year celebration in the state.

The arrests were confirmed in a statement issued on Monday by the Police Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Ojelabi. He said the operations were carried out on the directive of the Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, using intelligence-led patrols across crime-prone areas.

According to the police, one Alarape Wasiu, a resident of the Olorunsogo community in the Panada area of Ikire, was arrested on December 16 for being in possession of an unlicensed single-barrel gun and three live cartridges. The suspect reportedly failed to give a reasonable explanation for having the weapon.

Police later extended the investigation to Wasiu’s village at Baralola, via Ikire, where another single-barrel gun was recovered from him.

“The investigation was extended to his village, where another gun was recovered. These weapons are often used to terrorise Ikire and surrounding communities,” the statement said.

In a separate operation on December 3, police arrested three men, Taiwo Ogunbode (47), Thomas Ogo (52), and Lateef Afeez (30) at Ile-Ogbo in Iwo Local Government Area, following intelligence reports that they were in possession of human remains.

Items recovered from the suspects included materials suspected to be human body parts, ritual items, a small knife, a substance believed to be Indian hemp, and the sum of ₦127,000.

Ojelabi said the suspects confessed to exhuming corpses from a Muslim cemetery in the Gaa-Fulani area of Ile-Ogbo, with the intention of using the body parts for money-making rituals.

“The suspects admitted to the crime and investigation revealed that the group specialises in exhuming corpses from cemeteries for criminal purposes,” he stated.