A 55-year-old hunter named Yusuf Garba, also known as Gana, has been arrested by the Adamawa State Police for allegedly exhuming his stepfather’s body, decapitating it, and giving the head to the deceased’s son for ritual purposes. Garba, from Tappare Kona Uku in Jada Local Government Area, confessed to the crime during questioning. He claimed that the son of the deceased pressured him into complying, fearing that the son, whom he believed to be a witch, could harm him or his family if he refused.
Garba said that after his stepfather’s burial, the son returned a year later, demanding the head for traditional rites. He carried out the act in the early morning, dug up the grave, and took the head to the son in a polythene bag. Afterward, Garba performed a ritual after the deceased’s wife reported disturbing dreams related to the head being kept in their bedroom.
The police have launched an investigation into the matter, with the Commissioner of Police ordering a thorough and discreet probe into the incident. The suspect is expected to face prosecution following the investigation.
