A self-acclaimed Islamic cleric, Tunde Olayiwola, detained by the police in Akure over alleged possession of a human skull has died on Saturday.
This was disclosed by the police spokesperson, Olufunmilayo Odunlami, on Sunday.
The police spokesperson, however, denied that he was beaten or tortured to death.
According to her, the suspect was behaving strangely on Saturday evening and was rushed to a hospital where he was later confirmed dead, NAN reports.
“Even in the hospital, there was no sign or mark of violence on his body; he was not tortured.
“He couldn’t have been tortured because the truth of his complicity was already in the open.
“Those who were present when Olayiwola was paraded before newsmen (reporters) would have noticed that he was not tortured,’’ she said.
Last week, the police commissioner in Ondo State, Oyeyemi Oyediran, paraded Olayiwola before journalists in Akure alongside eight others arrested for various crimes.
The commissioner explained then that Olayiwola was suspected to be involved in money rituals and was arrested on December 23 in Oka in Ondo Township.
“On December 23 at about 9.20 am, police received information that a self-acclaimed cleric named Alfa Tunde Olayiwola was about to receive a consignment suspected to be a human skull.
“The police immediately swung into action and the cleric was apprehended at Ajagbale Area of Oka, Ondo Town.
“A fresh human skull was found in Olayiwola’s custody when he was arrested.
“Olayiwola confessed that the skull found in his possession was to be used to ensure he had a better life,” Oyediran had told journalists on December 23.
