Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A High Court in Gombe State has sentenced five men to various prison terms after they were found guilty of exhuming a corpse and removing its eyes for ritual purposes in Kwami Local Government Area. The disturbing case, which first came to light in 2025, sparked outrage across the state and reignited concerns about ritual-related crimes in parts of Nigeria.
The incident began when operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps uncovered a suspected ritual operation involving the desecration of a grave in the Gadam area of Kwami Local Government Area. Investigations revealed that the suspects exhumed the body of an elderly man, Mallam Manu Wanzam, who had been buried only two days earlier. According to security authorities, the men dug up the grave under the cover of darkness, removed the eyes of the deceased and attempted to rebury the corpse in an effort to hide their actions.
Security officials said the crime occurred at the Gadam North Cemetery, where the victim had been buried following his death. The body had reportedly been interred on September 9, 2025, but by the night of September 11, the suspects allegedly returned to the burial ground and carried out the exhumation. Their actions were later discovered after suspicious activity around the cemetery was reported by residents, prompting a swift response from security agencies.
Following the report, personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps launched a coordinated operation involving officers from the state command headquarters and the Gadam Division. During the operation, which took place late at night between about 10 p.m. and 11 p.m., six suspects were arrested in connection with the crime. Authorities identified them as Adamu Umar, Umar Jibrin Aboki, Abdullahi Umar Dauda, Muhammed Isa Chindo, Kawuji Sarki and Manu Sale.
During interrogation, investigators said the suspects confessed to participating in the exhumation and mutilation of the corpse. According to officials, the group was allegedly recruited as part of a ritual arrangement aimed at obtaining human body parts believed to be required for ritual practices. The suspects reportedly admitted that the eyes of the deceased were specifically requested.
Further investigation revealed that the operation had been organised through a chain of recruitment among the suspects. Authorities disclosed that one of the accused men allegedly contracted another suspect to procure human body parts. The individual who received the request then recruited additional accomplices to help carry out the exhumation at the cemetery.
Investigators also revealed that the suspects had agreed on a financial arrangement for the operation. According to officials, each participant was promised a payment of about N500,000 for taking part in the act and supplying the body parts. Security agencies said the arrangement was allegedly financed by another individual identified as Aliyu, who was said to have sponsored the operation. Authorities disclosed that the suspected sponsor fled after the arrests and remains at large, with efforts ongoing to locate and apprehend him.
After the arrests, the suspects were charged before a High Court in Gombe on multiple counts including criminal conspiracy, grave desecration and the unlawful mutilation of a corpse. Prosecutors presented evidence gathered during the investigation, including statements obtained from the suspects as well as reports detailing the exhumation and removal of the eyes from the corpse.
During the trial, the court examined testimonies from investigators and reviewed the sequence of events that led to the discovery of the crime. The prosecution argued that the suspects acted together to carry out the illegal act and deliberately targeted the grave in order to obtain body parts for ritual purposes.
After considering the evidence presented before it, the court found five of the accused persons guilty of participating in the offence. The judge subsequently sentenced them to various prison terms, bringing legal closure to the case. One suspect was reportedly discharged during the proceedings due to insufficient evidence linking him directly to the act.
The verdict was welcomed by community members who had been deeply disturbed by the incident. Residents of Kwami Local Government Area described the crime as shocking and offensive to cultural and religious values, particularly because burial sites are regarded as sacred places deserving respect and protection.
Security officials also condemned the act, describing it as a serious violation of human dignity and societal norms. Authorities reiterated their commitment to ensuring that individuals involved in ritual-related crimes face the full consequences of the law.
Officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps praised members of the local community for assisting security agencies during the investigation. According to authorities, residents who reported suspicious activity around the cemetery played a crucial role in helping operatives uncover the crime and apprehend those responsible.
Kwami Local Government Area, where the incident occurred, is one of several communities in northeastern Nigeria where traditional values place great emphasis on respect for the dead and the sanctity of burial rites. Local leaders said the desecration of the grave caused significant distress among residents and the family of the deceased.
Ritual-related crimes, though not widespread, occasionally surface in different parts of Nigeria and often provoke public outrage due to the brutality and superstition associated with them. Law enforcement agencies have repeatedly warned that such crimes are sometimes linked to criminal networks seeking human body parts for rituals believed by perpetrators to bring wealth or power.
Authorities say the conviction of the five men sends a strong message that grave desecration and ritual exploitation will not be tolerated. They also urged citizens to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities to security agencies in order to prevent similar crimes in the future.
While the sentencing has brought some sense of justice to the affected community, security agencies say investigations are still ongoing to track down the suspected sponsor who allegedly financed the operation and remains on the run.
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