By Evelyn Usman
Emotions ran high Monday at the Oduduwa, Ikeja office of the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Frank Mba, following startling revelations of how the dismembered  remains of a teenager was exhumed from Era cemetery in Ijaniki area of Lagos, 12  hours after it was interred.

The dismembered human parts included a fresh head, which still had long braids, indicating it was that of a female, two severed hands and legs and intestines.

The human parts were recovered from a 30-year-old man last week at Ijaniki area of Lagos by policemen attached to Ojo division.

Lagos Commissioner of Police, Akpoyibo

The suspect, identified as Femi Ade, during interrogation by Policemen, confessed to have worked at the cemetery as a security man.

Surprisingly, the human parts were identified as that of a teenager simply identified as Seki. Ironically, the bereaved family were reportedly taken to the cemetery by the suspect, who unknown to them, had a sinister motive.

Explaining the circumstance that led to his arrest, Frank Mba said: “At about 11.30 a.m, police operatives attached to Ojo Division while on a  routine stop and search on June 3, 2010, sighted a man on an unregistered Suzuki motorcycle, with a black nylon bag tied on the carrier.

“Acting on reasonable suspicion, the policemen flagged down the motorcycle to conduct a search where the items inside the nylon were discovered to be suspected human parts. During interrogation, the suspect confessed that they were exhumed from a cemetery in Ijaniki area.

“To ascertain his claim, he was taken to the cemetery where it was discovered that the grave of the deceased  has been massively tampered with. He even demonstrated to the policemen how he usually open the grave and carry out this horrible operation.”

Before being whisked to the station, the suspect, it was gathered, offered the policemen N50,000 as bribe to facilitate his release but it was reportedly turned down.

On his part, Femi claimed the human parts were given to him by a staff at the cemetery to take to a herbal mixture seller he identified as Lanre, at Ojo market.

Although he claimed not to know the whereabout of the staff whom he simply identified as Baba he said he was to get N1500 from the errand.

Other items recovered at the Ogun State-born suspect’s home, according to the police, were dried human bones and teeth. These items, Femi explained, were usually exhumed to allow for space to bury fresh dead bodies. The items, he claimed, were used by herbalists to prepare concoctions for those looking for employment.