by ‘Jola Sotubo

A man in Lagos has been arrested and charged to court after reports that he was caught with a human skull.

38-year-old Mustapha Bakare, a resident of the Ijora Badia, was found with the skull around the Orile Iganmu area of the state.

The suspect is said to have been handed over to the police by vigilant residents who caught him with the skull which he wrapped in a black nylon bag.

Punch reports:

It was learnt that investigations, however, revealed that the head was that of a beggar that had died some weeks earlier.

The suspect was said to have sighted the decomposing corpse while grazing his cattle.

He was said to have left the spot, but returned three days later to decapitate the head for ritual purposes.

He was subsequently arrested and arraigned on one count of unlawful possession of human head.

The charge reads, “That you, Mustapaha Bakare, on May 10, 2014, at about 1pm, at White Sand area, Orile-Iganmu, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did unlawfully have in your possession one dried human skull.”

The police prosecutor, Richard Odige, said the offence was punishable under Section 236 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2011.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge and elected summary trial.

His defence counsel prayed the court to admit him to bail in liberal terms.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs. E.B. Daodu, granted him bail in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties in like sum.

The matter was adjourned till August 4, 2014.