Police arrest ‘ritualist’ found with human skulls in Delta

The Delta state police command says its officers have arrested four suspected ritualists for alleged possession of two human skulls and a container filled with “fresh human blood”.

The police identified one of the four suspects as Godfrey Akpudje, a 60-year-old herbalist, who was arrested after one Ejiro Okoro reported that the corpse of his sister buried in 2019 was exhumed.

According to a statement by Bright Edafe, police spokesperson, on Tuesday, Akpudje was arrested with two human skulls and confessed that one of the human skulls was gotten from a “native doctor” in Osun state, who is now late.

“During the course of investigation, information gathered through intelligence revealed that it was one Godfrey Akpudje, ‘m’ 60yrs, who happens to be a native doctor that exhumed the corpse, and removed the skull,” the statement reads.

“He was immediately arrested and two human skulls were recovered from him. He said he got one of the human skulls from Osun state from a native doctor who is now late. The investigation is ongoing.”

The police added that three other suspects — Monday Nwite, Madabuchi Nweke and Nwite Sunday — were arrested in a vehicle along the Ogwashi-Uku/Kwale road and were found with a container filled with “fresh human blood”.

The police said the three suspects confessed to have murdered unknown persons in Ebonyi, and were taking the blood to a herbalist.

“All passengers were asked to submit themselves for search. During the search, three suspects were found with a container filled with fresh human blood. The three suspects, namely Monday Nwite ‘m’ 27yrs, Madabuchi Nweke ‘m’ 26yrs and Nwite Sunday ‘m’ 21yrs, all of Ebenta village in Ohaukwu LGA, Ebonyi State were immediately arrested,” the police spokesperson said.

“During interrogation, the suspects confessed to have murdered some unknown persons in Ebonyi State and were on their way with the murdered person’s blood to a native doctor whose identity is unknown for now, but resides in Kwale.

“They were taking the blood to the said native doctor for ritual purposes. One rosary necklace tied with charms was also recovered from them. Investigation is ongoing.”