Blessing Bello, Reporting
THE Kwara State Police Command has arrested two men over the recovery of two suspected human hands allegedly intended for money-making rituals along Bakase Road, Alapa, in the state.
The suspects, identified as Kamalden Lukmon and AbdulGaniyu Ibrahim, were arrested on 8 October 2026 at about 4pm during a police operation, while the recovered body parts have prompted an investigation into their origin and the circumstances surrounding their possession.
The Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, disclosed this during a press briefing in Ilorin on Tuesday, saying preliminary interrogation revealed that the suspects allegedly intended to use the body parts for money-making rituals.
According to him, the suspects also alleged that a vigilante member, identified as Abdulraf Apata, handed the body parts to them.
Mr Ojo said the police were investigating the claims to establish the facts and determine whether other individuals were involved in the incident.
“The two suspects are currently in our custody at the Violent Crimes Response Unit (VCRU), while investigations continue to establish the identity of the possible victim, determine the circumstances surrounding the death and bring anyone found culpable to justice,” he said.
The police commissioner did not disclose the identity of the possible victim or the circumstances under which the hands were severed.
Grave Exhumation: Three Arrested Over Missing Human Heads
In a related development, the command announced the arrest of three suspects over the alleged exhumation of graves and removal of human heads at a cemetery in Omupo, Kwara State.
Mr Ojo said the incident came to light in May 2026 when members of the community visited the cemetery to bury a deceased person and discovered that some graves had been dug up, with the heads of the bodies buried there missing.
He said police intelligence-led investigations led to the arrest of Abu Jimoh and Ayo Jimoh on 8 October at about 5am while they were allegedly digging graves within the cemetery.
The suspects reportedly confessed to the crime and named a herbalist, Mukaila Bello, as the alleged buyer of the human heads.
The commissioner said the suspects would be arraigned in court upon the conclusion of investigations.
Wanted Kidnap Suspect, Others Nabbed
Beyond the cases involving suspected human body parts, the police also announced the arrest of several suspects linked to kidnapping, armed robbery, murder, illegal firearm possession and motorcycle theft across the state.
Among them was Abubakar Usman, also known as Jaye, a wanted suspect arrested at Jebba Cattle Market on 11 October over alleged involvement in kidnapping incidents in Oke-Ode and Oro-Ago, as well as the killing of members of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria in Oke-Ode, Ifelodun Local Government Area.
Mr Ojo said the suspect was also accused of threatening to kidnap a prominent member of a cattle-rearing association and demanding N10 million.
He added that the suspect had reportedly confessed to his involvement in the crimes under investigation and was assisting the police with information to identify other suspected accomplices.
In another case, the police arrested Ahamdu Dahiru, a suspected kidnapper allegedly linked to a wanted kidnapping kingpin known as Aro, at Kannbi in Moro Local Government Area on 10 October.
According to the commissioner, Dahiru allegedly confessed to leading four kidnapping operations in Eruku, Oke-Ode, Idofin and Babanla, where substantial sums of money were reportedly collected.
Mr Ojo said the suspect subsequently led police operatives and members of the vigilante group to a forest between Bani and Kaiama, where four AK-47 rifles allegedly used in the operations had been buried.
However, the weapons were no longer at the location, as the suspect reportedly said his accomplices had moved them to an unknown destination.
A bag containing suspected hard drugs, chains and a padlock believed to have been used to restrain hostages was recovered at the location, the police said.
The commissioner also disclosed the arrest of Umaru Ahmadu, who was allegedly linked to a kidnapping syndicate responsible for abducting two persons from a Fulani settlement in Okeya.
He said the suspect admitted belonging to the gang and provided information about other alleged members, including one who was reportedly keeping a pump-action rifle.
CP Seeks Public Cooperation, Hails Governor’s Support
Mr Ojo urged residents to provide timely and credible information to security agencies, stressing that public cooperation remained critical to preventing crime and bringing suspected offenders to justice.
He also commended Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for donating 25 new Hilux vehicles to the police, saying the support would improve operational mobility, police visibility and response to security threats across Kwara State.
The commissioner reaffirmed the command’s commitment to intelligence-led policing, professional investigations and the protection of lives and property.
