Residents of Abocho town in Biraidu, Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State, have expressed concerns over the persistent invasion of their cemetery by suspected ritualists.
According to the residents, these ritualists have exhumed no less than 7 bodies from graves and taken them away.
They said the ritualists usually operate at night, taking advantage of the time when people are asleep.
A source disclosed that the ritualists targeted various parts of the Muslim cemetery, digging graves to exhume skulls and other human parts before making their escape.
“This has been happening in Abocho, but the fear of attack prevents anyone from discussing it openly. The community lives in perpetual fear due to the strong control exerted by political thugs who dictate the activities of the community,” the source said.
Some residents, who spoke on condition of anonymity, revealed that over 40 graves have been dug by the ritualists in the past two years, but fear has silenced the community.
Others mentioned that the ritualists began these activities about two years ago, successfully making away with numerous human heads and even taking bodies shortly after burial, without anyone daring to speak out.
No arrests have been made since the exhumation of corpses began in Ipokia town.
Despite the alarming situation, residents claim that security agencies have failed to devise effective means to track down those responsible for the removal of dead bodies.
A source stated, “They sneak into people’s compounds and the cemetery, dig graves, and remove the skull and any other parts they need. Residents often wake up to discover that graves in their compounds or the cemetery have been tampered with, but no arrests have been made since this aberration started two months ago.”
An elder in Abocho, who do not want his name in print, revealed that six corpses were recently dug out from cemetery on Friday, emphasizing the urgency for authorities to act and apprehend the perpetrators.
“Dead bodies are no longer safe in Abocho because some people want to become billionaires overnight. Please help us,” he pleaded.
Meanwhile, reports indicate that the so-called “Abocho bad boys” have ventured into a new enterprise – trafficking in human parts.
A Police source confirmed this troubling development, revealing that these individuals have agents among the vigilante who turn a blind eye whenever such operations are carried out.
