Two Herbalists, Five Others caught with severed human heads

Two herbalists, five other suspected criminals were at the weekend paraded in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, for being in possession of severed human head.

Men of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in the state nabbed the suspects which also included three middle-aged women during a raid in their hideout at Iware in Akinyele Local Government Area of the city.

Also found in the possession of the suspects were a coffin, three cars, calabash, clothes, 16 handsets, suspected charms and other items.

While they all confessed to be indigenes of Oyo town, they however claimed the alleged severe head was a fake head.

The commander of the NSCDC in the state, Shem Obafaiye, who paraded them before journalists said their claim that the severed human head was fake would be left for a coroner to decide.

Not only that, Obafaiye said the suspects would be handed over to the State Security Services (SSS) for more interrogation.

He advised parents in the state to monitor the movement of their wards and ensure that they do not take their eyes off them.

“We have to ensure we monitor the whereabouts of our children. It is important that we do that especially as we approach election period. We are all Africans,” the Corps commander said.

The leader of the suspects, Mr. Hamidu Ogunnjimi, a herbalist, said: “I was in my office when I heard gunshots. What you are looking at is not a human head as they claimed; we used cassava flour to mould it. We put blood got from a cow so that it would look like a real human blood.
“I agree that I am a fraudster but not a ritualist. I have been practising as herbalist for the past ten years. I don’t kill human being,” the lead suspect declared.

Another suspect, Mr. Oyeniyi Oyejimi, who claims to be a graduate of Civil Engineering from a Polytechnic in 2005, said he had been duped the sum of N900,000 since he was lured by his girlfriend identified as Kafayat.