Barber arrested for allegedly using customers' hair for rituals, keeping shrine in his room

• Police in Umuahia arrested a barber after allegedly finding customers' hair and a suspected shrine inside his one-room apartment.

• The suspect admitted the recovered items were found in his room, according to a video released by the police.

• Investigations are ongoing, and police have not announced any formal charges related to ritual activities.

A barber in Umuahia, Abia State, simply identified as Emeka, has been arrested after police allegedly discovered what they described as a ritual shrine alongside bags containing customers' hair inside his one-room apartment.

The arrest has sparked widespread reactions on social media after videos showing police officers displaying the recovered items began circulating online.

According to the Abia State Police Command, officers from the Central Police Station (CPS), Umuahia, carried out the operation at the suspect's residence in Umuoleche, Azuabi, Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State. 

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In the video, a police officer is heard questioning the suspect while showing a clay pot believed to be part of the items recovered.

"Where did we recover this thing?" the officer repeatedly asked. The suspect replied that it was recovered from "our house".

The officer then told those present that personnel of the Central Police Station recovered the item from the suspect's room and said the suspect had identified it as "a native pot".

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The incident has generated significant public interest because it involves allegations that a barber secretly kept customers' hair after cutting it.

In many Nigerian communities, there are long-standing beliefs surrounding the spiritual significance of human body parts such as hair and fingernails. However, such beliefs alone do not constitute evidence of criminal conduct.

Any determination about whether a crime was committed will depend on the outcome of the police investigation and, where applicable, the findings of a court.

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As of the time of filing this report, the Abia State Police Command had not released a detailed official statement explaining the circumstances surrounding the arrest, the exact offences being investigated or whether forensic examinations had been carried out on the recovered items.

No court has found the suspect guilty of any offence.

There is also no publicly available evidence at this stage confirming that the recovered hair was used for ritual purposes. That allegation remains under police investigation.