The Ogun State Police Command has arrested a motorcycle rider, Kadir Owolabi, after discovering three human skulls hidden in his luggage.
According to the command’s spokesperson, CSP Omolola Odutola, the shocking find occurred during a routine stop-and-search operation by operatives of the 71 Police Mobile Force (PMF) at Awa Ijebu on Monday afternoon.
The police team, stationed at the Refugees Camp Junction along the Ijebu Ode–Ibadan Expressway, flagged down Owolabi around 2:00 p.m. for a standard inspection.
While searching his belongings, officers found three human skulls neatly wrapped and concealed in his bag.
Odutola explained that the grim discovery immediately prompted further investigations. Acting swiftly on new intelligence, the police tracked down and arrested another suspect, Jamiu Yisa, 53, at a location behind the Ijebu Ode Local Government Secretariat.
“During the operation, our officers intercepted Kadir Owolabi, who was riding a motorcycle.
A search of his luggage led to the shocking discovery of three human skulls. Preliminary investigation subsequently led to the arrest of another suspect,” Odutola stated.
She revealed that the Commissioner of Police, Lanre Ogunlowo, had ordered the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) to take over the case for thorough and discreet inquiries.
The police are now working to uncover the origin of the skulls, the identities of the deceased, and the intended use of the remains.
Odutola stressed that the Ogun State Police Command remains fully committed to taking decisive action against crimes involving human body parts, ritual killings, and other violent offences.
She urged residents to support law enforcement efforts by providing timely information, noting that the police will guarantee confidentiality and protect the identities of informants.
This arrest adds to the growing list of disturbing cases involving the trafficking of human remains in Nigeria.
In recent years, security agencies have intensified their clampdown on such crimes, especially in the South-West, where ritual killings and the use of human parts for fetish purposes have raised public concern.
The spokesperson reassured Ogun residents that the police would maintain high vigilance across all entry and exit points in the state.
She also warned criminals that the command will continue to deploy stop-and-search operations to intercept illegal activities before they escalate.
The suspects remain in police custody as investigations continue.
