A human skull and a staff suspected to be used for ritual purposes have been discovered in the premises of Synagogue Church in Enugu State, South-east Nigeria, an official has said.

The Chairperson of Igbo-Eze South Local Government Area of the state, Ferdinand Ukwueze, announced this in a Facebook post on Monday.

Mr Ukwueze, a lawyer, said combined security operatives discovered the items when they raided the church premises on Saturday.

He uploaded some pictures of the discovered items on his Facebook page.

The chairperson said he and a divisional police officer in the council area, alongside other security operatives, took part in the operation.

He said apart from the police, the Nigerian Army, the Neighbourhood Watch Group in the area, the Forest Guards, and community members also took part in the operation.

Mr Ukwueze said the church is in Abile Hill, Isi-Agu, Ibagwa-Aka, a community in Igbo-Eze South Local Government Area of the state.

The chairperson said the church belonged to a controversial prophet and suspected ritualist, Chinedu Ezedike.

He said, following a tip-off, the security operatives returned to one of the church’s sites after earlier arresting the prophet for suspected ritual killings in the community.

“The location, currently being used for the construction of Prophet Chinedu Ezedike’s so-called Synagogue, was discovered to be a suspected site for ritual activities.

“To our greatest dismay, a human skull and a ritual staff were discovered from the site, lending further credence to the disturbing and tragic circumstances surrounding the claims and allegations against Ezedike,” he said.

“The recovered items were duly handed over to the police for further examination as investigations continue.”

Mr Ukwueze said the security operatives will trace and visit other locations used for ritual activities in the area, vowing that his administration will remain “relentless” in fighting criminality.

The chairperson also said the administration of Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State was committed to ensuring that crime was stamped out in the state.

“We are pursuing an egalitarian society where sons and daughters of Enugu State can aspire and become anything of their choice legitimately without any fear of criminal molestation.

“Society will keep deteriorating when good people keep mute in the face of crime,” he stated.

When contacted by PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday, the police spokesperson in Enugu State, Daniel Ndukwe, said he was yet to be briefed on the incident.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported how Mr Ezedike, the prophet, allegedly killed four siblings with a pestle for suspected ritual purposes.

The Enugu State Government, consequently, demolished several properties belonging to the prophet including his residence, church building, and a hotel facility.

Before now, the Enugu State Government has been demolishing properties linked to kidnapping and violent crimes in the state.

According to the state government, the demolition of such properties was backed by Section 315 (Second Amendment) of the Criminal Code Law, Cap 30, Laws of Enugu State 2017.