Gombe court convicts five men for exhuming a corpse and removing its eyes; sentences range from 2.5 to 5 years as trial continues on remaining counts

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.

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The prosecution, led by state counsel Ahmed Yakubu Gombe, told the court that the defendants faced a 10-count charge, including criminal conspiracy, attempted offences, 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 stated that the offences occurred on September 11, 2025, at the Gadam Muslim graveyard, where the accused conspired with two other suspects, Aliyu Baka and Reuben, who remain at large, to exhume the grave of the deceased, 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 said, adding that one fleeing suspect allegedly escaped with the eyes, believed intended for ritual purposes.

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

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

Delivering judgment, Justice Abdulsalam Mohammed convicted the defendants. Mohammed Isah, also known as Chindo, Kawuni Sarki, Manu Saleh, Umar Jibrin, called Daddy, and Adamu Nasiru were sentenced to six months’ imprisonment under Section 218 of the Penal Code and one-year terms on additional counts.

For theft charges, Mohammed Isah, Kawuni Sarki, and Adamu Nasiru received two-year sentences each.

Justice Mohammed ordered the sentences to run consecutively, resulting in final jail terms of five years for Mohammed Isah, two years and six months for Manu Saleh and Umar Jibrin, and four years and six months for Adamu Nasiru.

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The court ruled that trial would continue on the remaining counts and adjourned the case to April 16, 2026.