by Rachel Ogbu

The body of retired Inspector of Police, Samuel Ekhoruyimen, 82, who was kidnapped last month has been found buried in an ‘evil forest’ near Ewudu village in Ovia North- East Local Government Area of Edo State.

Reports claim his remains suggest that he was buried alive and his body was exhumed after death and then re-buried.

Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG, Zone 5, Hashimu Argungun, revealed that intelligence reports had helped to undercover agents. Sergeant Isaiah Osivwemu had also arrested one Osamudiamwen Uwaila of Ewudu community.

According to the AIG who spoke through the Deputy Police Commissioner in charge of Administration, Dave Akinremi, the confessional statement of the prime suspect led to the arrest of seven others, including the Chief Priest of the Ovia deity in Ewudu community, Pa Stephen Oviawe, 78. Two more village chiefs and two youths were also arrested in connection with the murder.

Ekhoruyimwen who was the village head (Odionwere) of Oghobaghase near Ewudu community on the day of his abduction was invited to preside over the settlement of a dispute in his domain when he was captured by some youths of Ewudu village.

His children living in Benin had reported his disappearance to the Police who declared him missing after 24 hours of futile efforts by the family to find him.

[READ: Cruel justice? Angry villagers bury suspected rapist and murderer alive with victim ]

Vanguard reports:

Meanwhile, the police boss said efforts to recover the corpse of the former Police Inspector have been intensified, saying other suspects now at large went to remove the remains from the grave before policemen were led there by one of the suspects.

The prime suspect, Osamudiamwen Uwaila, speaking with newsmen at the Adesuwa Police Station, yesterday, disclosed that he connived with others now at large, captured the victim on the way to his village and took him to an already dug grave in the evil forest of Ewudu community.

He added that they plotted to kill the victim because of his alleged role in a land dispute between Ewudu and Orogun communities some years ago.

Vanguard learnt that after the arrest of some of the suspects who took the police to where the retired police officer was buried, it was discovered that the body had been exhumed and reburied in a yet to be identified grave in the Ovia forest.

It was learnt that the deceased may have been killed for ritual purpose. However, one of the suspects (name withheld) while confessing to the crime to the police, disclosed that they decided to re-bury the victim’s corpse because they found out that the body was buried close to the road, therefore they had to exhume to rebury so as to ensure that the body was not found by the police.