The body of Ayo Aiyepeku, the missing photojournalist who was feared murdered last week, has been recovered in Lokoja, Kogi State.
His decomposing corpse was reportedly found in a bush at the Crusher area, on the outskirts of the capital city, on Sunday evening.
A TVC News report stated that residents raised the alarm after detecting a foul smell in the area. This prompted them to notify the Lokoja Local Government Chairman and security operatives.
READ MORE: Mystery in Lokoja: Photojournalist Feared Murdered, Body Missing… Then Suspect Commits Suicide
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In the video report, recorded at night, the covered body of the deceased photojournalist is seen on a stretcher being taken out of a white Toyota Hilux and moved into what appears to be a hospital building.
A man, who is addressing a group of people in the clip, is heard saying what seems like, “The police will be with them (the hospital) when they are doing the forensic examination in this place.”
At press time, the state police had not issued an official statement on this development and efforts to reach them were unsuccessful.
On Monday, FIJ texted William Ovye Aya, the police spokesperson in Kogi, on WhatsApp and via Short Text Message (SMS), after he failed to answer his calls. The Kogi Police spokesperson responded, “Yes, Police recovered his body yesterday, Sunday, around 7:30 pm. The body has been deposited at the mortuary.”
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BACKGROUND
Aiyepeku was suspected to have been killed by Jacob Adebayo Pelumi, a staff member of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS) and his neighbour.
Pelumi was reported to have lured Aiyepeku to his poultry farm, where he “struck him on the head with an iron object and dismembered the body”.
Then on Thursday, the body of the suspected killer was found in a room at Abidan 115 Hotel in Lokoja. Witnesses claimed he died by suicide.
The state government ordered the hotel to be sealed on Friday to “preserve evidence and facilitate a thorough inquiry by the relevant authorities”.
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