* Discover uniforms, others
The police have begun investigation into a tunnel in the Orile area of Lagos State, allegedly used by ritualists.
News had gone round the densely populated Orile, and its environs on Wednesday, that dismembered human parts had been discovered inside a tunnel at a location called school bus stop.
Two persons suspected to be ritualists were allegedly found with human parts. One of them, whose identity could not be ascertained, was immediately lynched by an angry mob.
However, the second suspect escaped as he was rescued by policemen from the Orile Division.
A resident, who gave his name as Segun, said that “a man who was seen around the tunnel on Tuesday, suddenly disappeared” adding that in a search for the missing man, the tunnel was discovered. The residents of the area said they saw a man inside the tunnel and invited members of the Oodua Peoples’ Congress (OPC).
The OPC members entered the tunnel only to find some human parts and several male and female clothes.
“While inside, they saw a man climbing a staircase into the tunnel, with a human skull.
“Further search was conducted in the tunnel on Wednesday, with more human parts in their decomposing states recovered. The search parties discovered that the tunnel had one of its ends linked to Mile 2 area.
“They saw a man coming from the Mile 2 end of the tunnel and apprehended him. He was found with what was believed to be a human heart.
“He was lynched and burnt to death. They have been using that place for ritual purposes for six years,” Segun added.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumiyiwa Adejobi, condemned the mob justice meted to the suspect.
Though he confirmed that clothes were recovered from the tunnel, he noted that no human part was found on the suspect rescued by the Police.
Adejobi identified the suspect found in the tunnel Kayode Ojo, 50, from Akoko, Ondo State, without a fixed address.
He said: “He was arrested at the scene and brought to us by 12.30 pm on Wednesday. They alleged he was a ritualist and was found with a human skull. But we did not see him in possession of any human parts.
“In the process of making preliminary findings from him, reports reached us that another man found there was lynched and set ablaze. They said he was also found in possession of a human heart.
“The suspect with us will be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department to ascertain whether what was found with him are human parts. We are going to conduct a scientific investigation.
“The command condemns jungle justice. We appeal to residents of the area to allow the police to investigate the matter.
“Clothes were found in the tunnel. We are going to carry out a thorough investigation to ascertain the real account of the matter.
“The Commissioner of Police has ordered the Area ‘C’ Commander to fortify security in the area,” Adejobi said.