The Bayelsa State Police Command has recovered the corpse of a missing real estate businessman, Ekpeboh Richard, under mysterious and chilling circumstances.
According to a report by Punch, Richard’s body was found between the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp and Otuokpoti in Ogbia Local Government Area. Police operatives from the Rapid Response Unit discovered the body around 6:00 p.m. on Saturday. He had a fatal gunshot wound to the head and was dumped in a bushy, swamp-like area.
Richard, who hailed from Amassoma in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, was married with two children and served as the vice chairman of the Real Estate Consultants Association of Bayelsa State. He had been declared missing since July 24 after he left home and never returned.
A close family source told reporters that Richard’s wife became worried after he failed to return home by 2 a.m. that day. Her attempts to reach him by phone were unsuccessful. However, three days later, she received a strange WhatsApp message allegedly from Richard, claiming he was safe and asking her not to pressure him.
“She kept pressing for answers, but instead of sending money directly to her account, a sum of ₦15,300 was sent to a PoS agent,” the source revealed. “He also admitted he owed two people ₦9 million and ₦3 million within the association.”
It was later discovered that the messages were sent by his abductors, not Richard himself. Alarmed by the suspicious communication, his friends and colleagues alerted the police, and an investigation was launched by CSP Bishop Elemide of the Rapid Response Squad.
📰 Latest News Today
Eyewitness accounts said two unidentified young men in a blue Honda car were seen dragging Richard into the bush. Shortly afterward, two gunshots were heard, and the suspects fled the scene, taking his Toyota Matrix with them.
Police also found evidence of a struggle at the scene, including a missing shoe believed to belong to Richard, near where his body was later recovered. The head was reportedly blown apart by the gunshot.
Authorities suspect that the murder could be linked to either a failed real estate business deal or criminal activity such as cybercrime or money laundering. The State Criminal Investigation Department’s Homicide Division is now handling the case.
Efforts are ongoing to track down the suspects and bring them to justice.
#BayelsaCrime #RealEstateMurder #EkpebohRichard #BayelsaPolice #BusinessmanKilled #CrimeInvestigation #NigeriaNews #HomicideReport