Thirty-two-year-old Alli and Abdullahi, aged 35, who were the two suspects arrested by personnel of the Western Nigeria Security Network (WNSN), popularly known as Amotekun Corps, in Saki, Oke Ogun area of Oyo State, in connection with a human head found in the abode of one of them, have spoken on how they got it.

The suspects also revealed their use of human parts for themselves and clients who might desire fortune. One of them, Alli, even confessed that he was once caught burning a human bone and animal parts for fortune making, while Abdullahi said he had a bucket containing human parts which he also intended to use in making money ritual.

On Thursday, the Nigerian Tribune reported that Abdullahi confessed that the human head was severed from the body of a corpse on Monday evening, a few hours after it was buried.

When contacted, Amotekun’s second-in-command, Mr Kazeem Babalola Akinro, confirmed the story, saying that the corps received information at about 11am on Tuesday that a human head was found under a car.

The car owner said that he saw the head when he wanted to jack up his vehicle to fix tyres he removed from it. This led to the arrest of Alli by the Amotekun Corps because he was the only tenant in the house.

Though he initially denied that the human head found was for him, claiming that it belonged to his contact, Abdullahi, a search of his apartment revealed an earthenware pot on fire in which a human leg bone and animal parts were being burnt.

Also found in his ‘consultation room’ were objects and herbs which he confessed he was to use along with the parts being burnt.

Mr Akinro said Amotekun operatives also went to Abdullahi’s house after contacting him, and he confessed that he was the one who brought the human head to Alli’s residence, and that it was Alli who asked him to get it for him. Abdullahi’s claim was admitted by Alli.

He added that the suspects and exhibits found with them had been transferred to Oyo State Police Command for further investigation.

Saturday Tribune’s interview with the suspects went thus:

Alli

“I’m from Ago Amodu but I live in Saki in Oke Ogun area of Oyo State. I’m a native doctor which I started nine years ago. I was not born into it but just tapped the knowledge of divination from different native doctors and Afaas. I do different kinds of treatment for my clients such as those who are sick, those with mental problem and those who want awure, among others.

“This is my first time of buying a human head. Materials found in an earthenware pot in my house were just leg bone of a human, head of a sheep, head and leg of oga (chamelon), alligator pepper and eggs which I was burning for wealth ritual which I aimed to use and also sell to anyone who might need it. I got the human leg bone from Abdullahi whom I asked to get it for me.”

How I learnt human parts usage

“I learnt different things from the records of native doctors but the person I learnt the use of human parts from is dead.”

How human head was found with me

“I got to know Abdullahi some weeks ago. We are both Muslims but also practise divination and herbal treatment. I linked up with him on Facebook. When we met at Maulud prayer on Monday, January 8, at an area in Saki, I discussed with him that I needed a human head. He told me that he had someone he would ask to get it and I would have it by Tuesday morning. I wanted to use it for money ritual and keep it for sale to clients who would desire it, as well as for myself.

“In the morning, I went out. On my return, I had just started the burning of the materials I had when people came in and asked me if I was the one who tucked a human head underneath my landlord’s car. I replied that I didn’t know about it because I was not told by Abdullahi that he had brought the head. He later told me that he called me but I didn’t pick the call. However, I didn’t check my phone to know that he called before my return home.

“The people who came to me were angry at my denial, saying that I was the only one at home. I insisted that I didn’t know anything about it; that was when Amotekun officers came.

“On entering my apartment, they saw the earthenware pot on the fire and asked questions on it. I told a lie that it belonged to Abdullahi. We went to his house and he confessed that he was the one who put the head underneath the car when he didn’t meet me at home and calls to my line were unanswered.

“I was not into the human head for money ritual. I was using ijimere’s head, igala’s skin, sheep’s head, with other materials for it. I was getting results but greed (ikojaaaye) overtook me.”

Salami Abdullahi

“I am a butcher and also an Afaa. I saw Alli about four weeks ago on Facebook. I chatted with him and we met at an Islamic programme on Monday. He told me that he needed a human head. I told him I would help tell someone I knew who was involved in getting such things.

“I had never followed anyone to cemeteries to get heads from buried corpses but when I told the person I contacted, a carpenter (name withheld), he said there was no problem. I was introduced to him by a friend living in a neighbouring Francophone country whom I told that I needed things to use for money ritual (asiribibo).

“He asked me about the native doctor work I was doing and I told him that it was not thriving, leaving me in penury. That was when the friend asked me to get human parts and grind it with tomato leaves, abamoda leaves and papasin leaves. He said that after grinding them together, I should fry the mixture with four eggs and eat it.

“When I asked him about how to get the human parts, he directed me to the man in Saki. When I got to him, he said he had few human parts and gave me without taking any money. So, I got the human parts found in a paint bucket in my house from him. I wanted to use for fortune making (asiribibo).

“When the man wanted to get the head on that same Monday, he came to my house in the evening and told me to follow him. He had earlier told me that he had gone to the cemetery earlier to survey it for a new burial site. We got to the cemetery at about 7pm. We scooped sand used to cover the corpse and he used the knife he brought to detach the head of the corpse from the neck.

“We left the place after 10pm and I went to his house on Tuesday to collect the head and take it to Alli. He charged us N40,000 for it and I was expecting him to give me between N2,000 and N3,000 as my share, but we were yet to pay him when our deed was discovered.

“I used to engage in native medicine and prepare charms in addition to Islamic religion that I practise.”

When asked why he committed the act despite frequent reports of such cases and people’s anger concerning them, Abdullahi replied: “Atenuje lo pa mi (it is greed that killed me).” (Saturday Tribune)

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