The Niger State Police Command has arrested a 31-year-old man, Ahmadu Jiya, for allegedly exhuming the skull of his late grandmother to use for money rituals. Four others connected to the act were also arrested.
According to police spokesperson SP Wasiu Abiodun, Jiya, who hails from Gbafu village, dug up the corpse of his grandmother—who died over two years ago at the age of 90—and removed her skull in a desperate bid to get rich and pay off debts of over N2 million.
Police said they acted on credible intelligence and arrested the suspects on July 19, 2025, at a hotel in Bida, where they were caught with the skull.
Others arrested include 70-year-old Mohammed Ndache of Edati, a suspected herbalist; 25-year-old Mohammed Adamu of Edati; 21-year-old Abubakar Mohammed of Duma; and 20-year-old Ali Mohammed of Tsyaduka in Gbako Local Government Area.
Investigations revealed that after presenting the skull to the herbalist, Jiya was told he could not meet the ritual conditions. He took the skull back home and hid it. Two years later, his friend, Mohammed Adamu, returned with another man, Abubakar Mohammed, offering to buy the skull for N100,000. Jiya accepted and collected a deposit of N40,000.
The buyers then contacted the herbalist, Ndache, who linked them with Ali Mohammed, a suspected money doubler. He charged them N500,000 to perform the ritual. When the ritual failed to yield results, they demanded a refund and went to meet Ali Mohammed in a hotel in Bida—where police swooped in and arrested them.
All suspects are now in custody at the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Minna, and investigations are ongoing.
The police warned members of the public to shun criminal and ritual activities in the name of making quick money.