KOGI State Government has vowed that those responsible for the killing of photojournalist, Ayo Aiyepeku, would be brought to justice.
The government disclosed this in a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo.
Fanwo said the governor, Usman Ododo, had directed security agencies to conduct a thorough investigation to unravel the issues surrounding the murder of the deceased.
“The government will leave no stone unturned in the pursuit of justice, ensuring that the perpetrators of this heinous act do not go unpunished” he said.
The ICIR reports that Aiyepeku, an indigene of Ekinrin Adde in Ijumu Local Government Area of the state, was allegedly killed on Tuesday, July 22, by his neighbour, Adebayo Pelumi.
According to reports, Pelumi lured the deceased to his poultry farm within the same compound they lived in around 8:30 p.m.
A colleague of Aiyepeku, who was with the victim shortly before the incident, said Pelumi called Aiyepeku for assistance at the farm.
The colleague recalled seeing Pelumi repeatedly strike Aiyepeku on the head with an iron object, rendering him unconscious. The suspect then allegedly dismembered the body and attempted to transport parts of it in his Hilux van.
The witness raised an alarm, attracting security operatives to the scene. Although shots were fired at Pelumi’s vehicle, he fled the scene with the victim’s body, prompting a police manhunt for him.
The decomposing body of the 26-year-old photojournalist was found on the outskirts of Lokoja the following day, after intense search.
The case took a dramatic twist when the prime suspect was later discovered dead in a hotel room in Lokoja, with initial investigations pointing to suicide.
Pelumi’s remains were found on July 24, evening in the bushy area around the Crusher axis of Lokoja, the state capital.
A bottle containing a poisonous substance and a handwritten note were allegedly found at the scene.
Security operatives are handling the corpse, which has already been deposited at the Specialist Hospital in Lokoja, as investigations continue.
Fanwo in his statement said investigation into the circumstances surrounding the murder and the subsequent death of the prime suspect was ongoing.
“Justice may not bring the dead back to life, but it will console the family of the deceased that their son did not die in vain.
“The safety and security of our people remain a top priority of our administration.”
He called on the public to stay vigilant and assist ongoing investigations by providing law enforcement agencies with credible information.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.