Oyo police nab two over alleged human skull exhumation from Muslim cemetery

The Oyo State Police Command has arrested two suspects over the unlawful possession of an item suspected to be a human skull following a joint operation in Ijio, Oyo State.

The development was disclosed in a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer of the command, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, on July 9, 2026.

According to the statement, the arrests followed credible intelligence about a person allegedly in possession of an item suspected to be a human skull. 

Acting on the information, the Commissioner of Police, Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, directed a joint operation involving police operatives and the Oyo State Security Network Agency, Amotekun Corps.

During the operation, one Shittu Isah of Kajola Area, Ijio, was arrested, while the suspected human skull was recovered and secured as an exhibit.

“During interrogation, Shittu Isah confessed to having exhumed the suspected human skull from a Muslim burial ground in Ijio. He further confessed that he did not act alone, a development that led to the arrest of one Tunde Ajibade, who is currently assisting the police with ongoing investigations,” the statement read.

The police said the recovered exhibit has been preserved for forensic examination to determine its nature, while investigations are ongoing to establish the motive behind the act and identify any other persons who may have been involved.

The command reaffirmed its commitment to protecting lives and property and urged residents to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies to support efforts aimed at preventing crime across the state.