Ogun exhumes corpses during demolition exercise

One of the dismantled graves where a corpse was exhumed at Ijoko

Many graves have been reportedly dismantled and their corpses exhumed in Ijoko, Ifo Local Government, Ogun State, in the ongoing demolition exercise of the state government.

Residents said  that the number was expected to rise as the state continued to take down houses in its road expansion project.

It was reported on Tuesday, reported the demolition of several buildings and structures along the Yakoyo/Alagbole road and the Ijoko/Sango areas by the Ogun State Government. The demolition was said to be have been carried out in preparation for the expansion of the said roads.

Our correspondent gathered that while some of the corpses had been interred for as long as 30 years, a few were said to have been in the graves for about eight years or less.

The families of the deceased were said to have taken the exhumed corpses to unknown destinations.

A commercial motorcyclist, who identified himself as Ahmed Samora, said he was paid to lift the corpses of a couple from their grave.

He said, “I was called to bring out the corpses. They were still fresh and they were husband and wife. The two were buried within an orthodox church that was affected by the demolition exercise. I saw their family members take them to the family house.

He said there were so many corpses within the area because it was the habit of residents to bury their dead in their compound.

The relative of another deceased woman, Mrs. Modupe Ogundele, said her grandmother had been buried for eight years. Ogundele said the family arranged for some rites before doing a second burial.

Source: Punch Newspaper