Tragedy struck the Government Reserved Area (GRA) of Lokoja, Kogi State, as a correctional officer, Adebayo Pelumi, allegedly murdered and dismembered his neighbour, a photojournalist, Aiyepeku Ayo, before fleeing with the victim’s body parts stuffed in a freezer.
The chilling crime, which occurred within a residential compound both men shared, has shocked the Lokoja community and sparked widespread calls for justice.
Ayo, a graduate of Political Science from the Federal University, Lokoja, and a photojournalist with the online platform Inside Story, was reportedly lured out of his office under the pretext of assisting Pelumi at his poultry farm. Unknown to him, Pelumi had already planned the attack.
Sources revealed that as Ayo stepped out of his office, the suspect struck him with an iron rod and later shot him in the head.
An eyewitness, who was reportedly in the office at the time, watched in horror as the brutal attack unfolded.
After killing Ayo, Pelumi allegedly dismembered the body and stored the remains in a freezer. He then locked the eyewitness upstairs in the building before fleeing the scene with the freezer in his vehicle.
The eyewitness, however, managed to raise an alarm. Local vigilantes quickly responded and notified security agencies. Pelumi reportedly returned to the house shortly after but fled again upon seeing the vigilantes.
A dramatic high-speed chase ensued through Lokoja until another vehicle rammed into his car, forcing him to abandon it and escape on foot into nearby bushes.
When police recovered the vehicle, the freezer was found empty, raising fears that the suspect may have dumped or hidden the body parts elsewhere.
Ayo’s murder has sparked concerns over the suspect’s mental health and possible involvement in ritual activities.
Reports indicate that Pelumi, who hails from Kogi State, had a history of domestic violence and drug use. His wife was said to have left him two months earlier following repeated abuse.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the Kogi State Police Command, SP William Aya, said the matter was reported on the day it occurred, and officers immediately launched a manhunt for the fleeing suspect.
“The case was reported to us on 22nd July. Police were able to rush to the scene of the incident, and a vehicle was recovered while the suspect ran into the bush.
Investigations are ongoing, and we are doing everything possible to ensure he is apprehended and brought to justice,” Aya stated.
The gruesome killing has thrown the media community in Lokoja into mourning, with colleagues and friends of the late Ayo calling for swift action to apprehend his killer and ensure justice is served.
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