Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command have arrested a 21-year-old man, identified as Samson Onilewaji, after he was allegedly found with a suspected human hand during a stop-and-search operation along the Lekki-Epe Expressway.

The command’s spokesperson, Superintendent of Police Abimbola Adebisi, said officers on routine patrol intercepted an unregistered commercial shuttle bus conveying six occupants. A thorough search of the vehicle and its passengers reportedly led to the discovery of the body part and a cache of weapons and suspected stolen items.

According to the police, Onilewaji was found in possession of what investigators believe to be a human right hand, two locally made pistols, one live cartridge, two axes, a point-of-sale terminal and five ATM cards bearing different names. The items were immediately seized as exhibits while the suspect was taken into custody for interrogation.

Adebisi disclosed that preliminary questioning revealed the suspect had recently participated in a series of robberies in the state. He allegedly confessed to robbing at least three victims of their valuables, including the recovered POS machine and ATM cards, which detectives suspect were used to drain the victims’ bank accounts.

Detectives from the State Criminal Investigation Department have been assigned to the case, focusing on establishing the identity of the person whose hand was recovered and the circumstances under which it was severed. Investigators are also probing whether the body part was intended for ritual purposes, a recurring concern in parts of the country where human body parts are sometimes trafficked for occult practices.

The police spokesperson added that efforts are underway to track down other members of the suspected criminal network. The remaining occupants of the bus are being profiled, and the vehicle itself is under forensic examination to determine its ownership and possible links to previous crimes.

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Tijani Olaiwola Fatai, has directed that the investigation be fast-tracked and assured residents that the suspect will be charged to court as soon as the case file is concluded. He urged members of the public to remain vigilant and to promptly report suspicious movements or persons to security agencies, stressing that community intelligence remains critical to preventing violent crime.