The police in Kwara are on the trail of an Ilorin-based Islamic cleric who allegedly exhumed the corpse of his late friend for ritual purpose. The cleric, a resident of Eleran compound in Oloje area of Ilorin is said to be in his 30s.
He allegedly exhumed the remains of his childhood friend on Tuesday, seven days after his death. The community became aware of the development when the odour of the decomposing body took over the area. .
Members of the community then embarked on a search when the odour became unbearable. The search team later traced the odour to the apartment of the cleric. The door of the cleric’s house was forcefully broken and the search party discovered the decomposing corpse said to be that of one Sulaiman. .
The deceased, according to the source, had gone out with the cleric last Wednesday and had complained of stomach ache not long after they returned. He reportedly died in a hospital the following day being Thursday and was buried the same day in accordance with Islamic rites. .
The suspect, however, fled through a back door when he sensed that members of the community were tracing the source of the odour. The irate members of the community, however, beat up the father of the suspect before taking him to the Divisional Police Headquarters in the area.
They also demolished the building belonging to the family of the suspect. DSP Ajayi Okasanmi, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, confirmed the incident saying investigation was ongoing on the matter. .
Okasanmi also said some objects suspected to be human parts were recovered from the building before it was demolished by the irate members of the community. Crdt: I. A Yinus