The Lagos State Police Command has
arrested a gang of human parts traders who were allegedly plying their
“business” in several markets in Lagos.
The four-man gang, who were arrested by
the operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, are Olakunle Ogunsola,
Oyebamiji Olalekan, Rasheed Opeyemi and Akorede Wasiu.
Punch learnt that the gang
was arrested after a tip-off to the police. It was gathered that the
Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Umar Manko, thereafter directed the
SARS Commander, Abba Kyari, to go after the human parts sellers which
led to their arrest.
While Olakunle, who is
said to be the
gang leader, was apprehended at the Ile Epo Market in the Oke Odo area
of Lagos, Oyebamiji was caught at the Oja Oba Market in Abule Egba. The
other two suspects, Opeyemi and Wasiu, were arrested in the Ajegunle and
Ijaiye areas of Lagos respectively.
Olakunle, 26-year-old who hails from
Ilaro in Ogun State, confessed that he had sold human parts to Christian
and Muslim clerics in the past.
He said, “I usually sell
herbs at the
Ile Epo Market. It was one Waheed Ajigbotoloun that introduced selling
human parts to me. That was just last year October. He was my supplier
too, and he told me he used to get them from Joju Cemetery in Sango Ota,
Ogun State.
“I didn’t always buy the human parts
except when there was a request for them from my customers. Upon
request, I have bought human skulls and meat from him for my customers.
Some of them are pastors, imams, and native doctors too. I have sold
human parts to two pastors this year, but I cannot remember the names of
their churches.”
Olakunle, who is married with a child
added that the meat he sold could be any part of the human body, and he
bought them at prices ranging from N6,000 to N10,000.
He said, “The first pastor I sold to is
based in Sango Otta, Ogun State. He paid me N24,500 for the parts. The
clerics use these to make their congregations move forward. I also use
some of the parts to make charm powder.
“I am not the only seller in the market.
There is also one Lukman, who we popularly call Oosa. But since I
started, I have bought only six human skulls.”
Olakunle claimed to have finished from
the Lagos State University in February 2013 where he studied
Accounting.
He added that he financed his university education with proceeds from
the sale of herbs and human parts.
Forty-year-old Oyebamiji who hails from Ibadan, Oyo State, also confessed to have sold human parts to many people.
He said, “I have been a trader at the
Oja Oba Market for the past three years. It is not that I sell only
human parts. However, each of the part I sold went for between N6,000
and N7,000. The supplier told me he was getting them from the cemetery. I
have sold five to six pieces. I know it was wrong to do this, but I was
looking for money.”
For Opeyemi, who is a 51-year-old native
doctor from Ikirun, Osun State, he bought the human parts to cure one
of his patients in the past.
“I am an Alhaji and also a star reader. I
had called prayers several times at a mosque in the Ajegunle. I used
the human parts only once for the treatment of one of my patients. The
boy was cured and I never bought human parts from anyone again,” he
said.
Wasiu, a 31-year-old native doctor from
Sango Ota, Ogun State, said he bought two human skulls to prepare
concoctions for women looking for children. Wasiu, who is married with
four children, confessed to have bought each skull for N4,000.
A police source said SARS men were still
continuing with their investigations, adding that the suspects had
confessed, naming more human parts buyers who had yet to be arrested.
The Lagos State Police spokesperson,
Ngozi Braide, said she would get back to our correspondent but she had
yet to do so as of press time
