Court jails five for exhuming corpse, removing eyes in Gombe

A High Court in Gombe State has sentenced five men to prison for exhuming a corpse and removing its eyes at a Muslim graveyard in Kwami Local Government Area of the state.

The prosecution, led by state counsel Ahmed Yakubu Gombe, told the court that the defendants were arraigned on a 10-count charge bordering on criminal conspiracy, attempted offence, causing indignity to a corpse, unlawful entry into a graveyard, theft, destruction of public property, membership of an unlawful society, use of unlawful charms, and unlawful possession of a human head.

Yakubu said the offences were committed on September 11, 2025, at the Gadam Muslim graveyard, where the accused persons allegedly conspired with two other suspects, identified as Aliyu Baka and Reuben, who are currently at large, to exhume the grave of a deceased man, Malam Manu Wanzam.

“They jointly exhumed the grave of the late Malam Manu Wanzam, unwrapped the burial shroud and brought out the fresh corpse. The defendants then removed the two eyes from the corpse,” the prosecutor told the court.

He added that one of the fleeing suspects allegedly escaped with the removed eyes, believed to be intended for ritual purposes.

“The accused persons unlawfully entered the Muslim graveyard at night, exhumed the corpse and removed the eyes of the deceased for ritual purposes, thereby causing indignity to the corpse and the grave,” Yakubu said.

The prosecutor further informed the court that the defendants also attempted to exhume another grave in the same cemetery on the same day, noting that the offences are punishable under Sections 96, 95, 218, 213, 286, 335, 306, 97A, 97B, 216 and 219 of the Penal Code Law.

During the proceedings, the defendants pleaded guilty to some of the charges after the court interpreter explained the counts to them.
The prosecution thereafter urged the court to summarily try them on the counts to which they admitted guilt, citing Sections 335(2) and 355(2) of the Gombe State Administration of Criminal Justice Law.

Delivering judgement, Justice Abdulsalam Mohammed convicted and sentenced the defendants accordingly.

The court sentenced Mohammed Isah, also known as Chindo, Kawuni Sarki, Manu Saleh, Umar Jibrin, also called Daddy, and Adamu Nasiru to six months’ imprisonment under Section 218 of the Penal Code. They were also handed one-year prison terms each on additional counts.

On the charge of theft, Mohammed Isah, Kawuni Sarki and Adamu Nasiru were each sentenced to two years’ imprisonment.

Justice Mohammed ordered that the sentences run consecutively, resulting in Mohammed Isah being sentenced to five years in prison; Manu Saleh and Umar Jibrin to two years and six months each; while Adamu Nasiru received four years and six months’ imprisonment.

“Having pleaded guilty to some of the charges, the defendants are hereby convicted and sentenced as stated by the court,” the judge ruled.

The court also ordered that trial would continue on the remaining counts against the defendants and adjourned the case to April 16, 2026, for continuation of hearing.

Court jails five for exhuming corpse, removing eyes in Gombe