A scene of panic unfolded at the Kpakungu Muslim cemetery in Minna, Niger State capital on Wednesday evening at about 6 p.m., when a stray dog allegedly forced its way through the fence and began digging at one of the graves.
Eyewitnesses said the dog’s strange behavior startled the security guard on duty, who quickly raised an alarm.
Neighbors, gripped with fear, rushed to the scene, initially thinking a human intruder had trespassed into the burial ground, only to discover the dog clawing at a grave.
In a moment of anger and confusion, they were said to have attacked the animal and brought it outside the fence of the burial ground and set it ablaze.
“It was a terrifying incident. People thought something much worse was happening, and for a moment, everyone was on edge,” said one resident who witnessed the incident.
However, DAILY POST further gathered that after the dog was killed, rumours began circulating across Minna, the state capital, drawing a large crowd to the cemetery even in the dark hours of the night as whispers spread that a person had been caught and set ablaze for attempting to exhume a corpse.
Dispelling the rumors, the security guard at the burial ground yesterday evening in a video denied claims that a human entered the ground and “turned into a dog” to exhume a corpse.
“Myself and others who came when I raised the alarm killed the dog. No human turned into a dog as being speculated to dig out any corpse here. We killed it to discourage other dogs from entering the burial ground to dig at any grave again”
” This is the fifth time of killing dogs attempting to dig at graves on this burial ground. Please, this rumours of human turning to a dog should stop,” the security guard insisted.
Also, the Niger State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed that on January 22, 2026, at about 8:15 p.m., the Command received a report from Kpakungu burial ground of a dog that trespassed through the fence and attempted to dig one of the graves.
“During this attempt, the security guard and other neighbours attacked the dog and it was set ablaze,” he disclosed.
The police spokesperson explained that immediately, the DPO of Kpakungu Division led a patrol team to the scene and ensured that normalcy was restored as the situation attracted a crowd.
This is contrary to the insinuation in the public that a human crossed to the burial ground to exhume human parts from the burial ground.” Abiodun declared
The statement urged members of the public to disregard such fabricated reports, warning that they could cause unnecessary panic and unrest.
