Inadequate lighting and lax security at the Tafo cemetery have created opportunities for unscrupulous individuals to engage in nefarious activities within its premises.
Concerned residents emphasize that improving the lighting infrastructure is crucial to deter grave looters and ritualists from compromising the sanctity of the graves.
Mohammed Rabiu and his team at the Tafo cemetery find themselves constantly engaged in the task of grave digging, amidst growing concerns about security and respect for the deceased.
Situated on expansive grounds, the Tafo cemetery encompasses separate sections for Muslim and Christian burials.
In addition to their primary duty of grave digging, Mohammed Rabiu and his colleagues also assume responsibility for maintaining the cemetery.
According to Rabiu, their vigilant presence during the day serves as a deterrent to grave looters, who prefer to operate under the cover of night.
He cited instances of individuals conducting rituals and even digging human remains during these nocturnal visits.
Moreover, some individuals openly engage in inappropriate behavior such as defecating within the cemetery grounds, further disrespecting the sanctity of the space.
Rabiu recounts encounters with individuals who visit the cemetery to perform rituals or follow instructions from spiritual practitioners.
Despite not catching anyone in the act of removing body parts from graves, they have apprehended several individuals burying items or conducting ritualistic sacrifices, such as slaughtering fowls on the grave sites.
“Even if they had prepared those things at home for their children, it would have been better. We cover up such things when we find them at the graves. Some kill and take body parts, while others are instructed to come and collect parts here because the evildoers are everywhere, and they carry out these crimes on our blind side.”
But he denies the involvement of him and his colleagues in such acts and says they call on the police whenever such complaints come in.
“It is not possible to come to us and request a body part at this cemetery. Even if people come, the boys will inform the elders here, and we will hand over such individuals to the police. When they are taken to the police station, they will be questioned if this is an abattoir where meat is sold. We bury people here, and we do not entertain requests for body parts,” he said.
He explained that, some individuals take advantage of open graves to loot them, although they make efforts to always cover up these graves and rebury exposed human parts.
For him, enhancing the lighting situation will scare bad people from carrying out their evil acts at the cemetery.
“The initiative to enhance the lighting situation at the cemetery will help address these concerns and ward off people with evil intentions. The public should come and help so that their relatives who are brought here for burial will also have a safe resting place. The wrongdoers are everywhere, and they search for body parts to use for money rituals. These individuals must understand that what they do to others will be done to them too, one day,” he stated on Citi News.
Some workers close to the cemetery and other residents call for enhanced security at the cemetery.
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