Five men were on Thursday brought before a Yaba Chief Magistrates’ court in Lagos caught in possession of human skulls.
The defendants are: Adekunle Mufutau, 50, Abdulwaheed Omolewa, 46, Adeleke Nosiru, 45, kazeem Laisisi, 36, and Babatunde Omoleye, 30.
They are facing a two-count charge of conspiracy and unlawful possession of human part.
They, however, pleaded not guilty to charge.
The Prosecutor, Asp. Rita Momah, told the court that the defendants committed the offences on March 16, at Agbowa Ikosi, area near Lagos.
According to her, the defendants broke into Brewery Cemetery in Agbowa Ikosi in the middle of the night and dug up many decomposed bodies that were buried there.
She said the defendants cut off the skull of the bodies and took them for ritual purposes.
Momah said it was the grave keeper that saw them and called the attention of the local vigilante group that subsequently caught them and took them to the police station.
The alleged offences contravene Sections 411 and 238 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Section 238 stipulates a 14-year jail term for unlawful possession of human part, while 411 provides for two years’ imprisonment for conspiracy.
Chief Magistrate, Mrs Adeola Adedayo, granted the defendants bail in the sum of N200,000 each with two sureties in like sum.
She said one of the sureties must be a blood relation to each defendant and that both sureties should be gainfully employed.
Adedayo also directed that the sureties should reside within the court’s jurisdiction and show evidence of three years’ tax payment to the Lagos State government.
The case was adjourned until May 9 for mention.