Mahmud, who raised the alarm in a statement he issued on Friday, said the land is located at Iyakpi in Etsako West Local Government Area of the state.
An Edo State-born lawyer, Dr. Abdul Mahmud, has raised an alarm over the illegal sale of his ancestral Ugheoloko burial ground by suspected land grabbers, calling on the state government for urgent intervention.
Mahmud, who raised the alarm in a statement he issued on Friday, said the land is located at Iyakpi in Etsako West Local Government Area of the state.
“It is with sadness that I received the news of the illegal and reprehensible sale of my descendants and ancestral Ugheoloko burial ground in Iyakpi, Etsako West Local Government Area, Edo State, by unknown persons to land speculators,” he said.
“This sacred ground, which holds the remains of my father, grandfather, grandmother, great grandfather and mother, and my generations of forebears stretching back to the first settlers who migrated from Uhen near Benin, represents a profound cultural and historical legacy.”
According to him, the desecration of the burial ground is not only an affront to the Ugheoloko descendants but also an attack on the heritage and dignity of his community.
He said, “This disturbing illegal sale appears to be driven by the sinister desires of buyers seeking to mine human skulls and bones for ritual purposes.
“Such criminal acts not only undermine the sanctity of human life and the sacredness of burial grounds but also violate fundamental rights, cultural heritage, and societal norms.
“I call on the Nigeria Police Force to immediately investigate this criminal act and bring the perpetrators to justice, emphasising that such actions threaten to erode the moral and legal fabric of society.”
He also called on the Government of Edo State, urging it to “take decisive steps to protect and preserve ancestral burial grounds across the state from desecration and unlawful acquisition”.