Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Osogbo, Nigeria — The Osun State Police Command has announced the arrest of a man found in possession of unlicensed firearms and, in related operations across the state, the seizure of human body parts from suspects allegedly involved in ritualistic and criminal activities. The arrests come as part of intelligence-led security efforts aimed at curbing violent crime and ensuring public safety ahead of the holiday season.
According to a statement released by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, police operatives acting on credible intelligence carried out a series of targeted operations across Osun State, resulting in the arrest of Alarape Wasiu, a resident of the Olorunsogo community in the Panada area of Ikire, on December 16, 2025. Officers apprehended Wasiu after discovering that he was unlawfully in possession of a single-barrel gun and three live cartridges without any licence or lawful justification.
Following his arrest, investigators conducted a search of Wasiu’s residence in his village at Baralola via Ikire, where they recovered a second single-barrel gun believed to be linked to the suspect. The police statement said the weapons were suspected to be used to terrorise communities within Ikire and surrounding areas, heightening fears among residents about the escalating threat of armed criminality.
In a separate, but related operation on December 3, 2025, police arrested three men — Taiwo Ogunbode (47), Thomas Ogo (52) and Lateef Afeez (30) — at Ile-Ogbo in the Iwo Local Government Area after receiving credible reports that human parts were in their possession. Officers reportedly found plastic containers containing human skin, dried bones suspected to be human, and 21 pieces of teeth suspected to be human, alongside other items including a white burial gown, four horns wrapped in red cloth and three small bags of hair. These items were allegedly recovered from inside a dilapidated building in the area.
The suspects reportedly confessed that they had exhumed corpses from a Muslim cemetery in the Gaa-Fulani area of Ile-Ogbo and were holding the remains for supposed money-making rituals — a practice that authorities have long warned against as both illegal and deeply harmful to communal harmony and respect for the dead.
Ojelabi explained that these operations were part of a broader directive from the Commissioner of Police in Osun State, Ibrahim Gotan, to intensify patrols and intelligence-guided raids in identified black spots where criminal activities are believed to thrive. The commissioner emphasised that the proactive policing strategy is designed to disrupt armed criminal networks and ritual-related syndicates and prevent potential violence or ritual crimes ahead of the festive period.
The statements from law enforcement indicate that all the suspects will be charged to court once investigations are concluded. Police have vowed to pursue all leads generated from the arrests, with further operations planned to dismantle criminal hideouts and prevent the proliferation of illegal firearms and other illicit activities in the state.
The operations have drawn attention to the serious security challenges facing Osun State, where illegal guns and ritualistic crimes have periodically emerged as law enforcement priorities. Local residents welcomed the police’s decisive action, noting that unlicensed firearms and grave-related crimes have instilled fear within some communities. Many have urged continued vigilance and increased collaboration between security forces and community stakeholders to sustain peace and security throughout the season.
In explaining the significance of the seizures, police representatives underscored that unlawful possession of firearms and desecration of graves are punishable under Nigerian law, and that suspected offenders will face the full consequences of the law if found guilty in court. The Osun State Police Command reiterated its commitment to ensuring a safe and peaceful environment for residents and visitors alike.
The arrests and seizures mark a noteworthy development in the state’s ongoing efforts to curb crime, reassure the public, and strengthen trust in law enforcement’s ability to tackle complex and sensitive criminal activities.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments