Photojournalist murdered by neighbor in Kogi

Tragedy struck in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, on Tuesday night as Ayo Aiyepekun, a photojournalist with the online news platform Inside Story, was brutally murdered in what has been described as a shocking and heartbreaking incident.

According to eyewitness accounts, Aiyepekun was allegedly killed by Adebayo Pelumi, a neighbor who resided in the same compound that also houses the Inside Story office. The suspect reportedly lured the journalist under the guise of seeking help with his poultry farm, which is also situated within the premises.

An eyewitness, who is also a staff member of Inside Story, said he and the victim had been working late into the evening on photo and video editing tasks before Pelumi summoned Aiyepekun.

‎”It was around 7:30pm when the suspect called him, but he didn’t know that Ayo was not the only person in the office. Immediately Ayo get out, Adebayo hit him with iron repeatedly and killed him there,” the source said.
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‎He narrated that how he saw the suspect lifting the body of the victim into a deep freezer before moving the corpse into his Hilux van, prompting him to raise alarm.

“I called some people on the phone who mobilised the vigilante in the area, but before they came, Adebayo has made away with the dead body,” the eyewitness said.
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‎He stressed that together with the vigilante, they searched the area but could only see blood stains in the freezer and around the poultry stall.
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‎”While the vigilante were still with us, the suspect drove into the compound with his van and when he saw us, he turned back and refused to stop, but the vigilante chased him and along the line, his car had an accident during the chase which made him jumped out of the vehicle and ran away,” he explained.
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‎The witness said the van was stained with human blood, while the body was yet to be recovered, fearing that the journalist may be murdered for ritual purpose.
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‎The case was however reported on Wednesday at the Kogi State Police Headquarters in Lokoja.
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‎The suspect, Pelumi is said to be a staff of the Correctional Centre, whose wife separated from two months ago due to constant domestic violence.