Apprehension and anxiety have gripped residents of Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State, following the discovery of three headless, decomposing bodies floating in a river along the Odigbo-Ore Old Road.
According to an eyewitness, residents who had gone to the river for a quick bathe stumbled upon the headless floating bodies and promptly reported the incident to the police command in the state.
The eyewitness added that the gruesome discovery has sent shockwaves of panic through the community, leaving many residents shaken and frightened, with the rapid spread of the news fueling widespread fear and anxiety about the safety of the area.
A local youth leader, Shileola, who was among the first to arrive at the scene, described the incident as shocking and deeply disturbing.
“I was shocked when I first heard about it over the phone. I rushed to the scene, hoping to identify the victims through their clothing or other means, but all efforts proved abortive,” he said.
Shileola speculated that the victims might have been murdered elsewhere and dumped in the river, as there have been no recent reports of missing persons in the area. He urged residents to remain vigilant and security-conscious.
Confirming the discovery on Thursday, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Ayanlade Olayinka, said the corpses were discovered and immediately reported to the Ore Divisional Police Station.
“The DPO promptly deployed detectives to the scene. The three bodies were recovered and taken to the morgue at the General Hospital,” Ayanlade stated.
According to him, efforts are ongoing to identify the victims, as community leaders and interest groups have been summoned. However, no identification has been made so far.
He added that the location where the bodies were found borders Ogun and Edo States, raising the possibility that the victims may have been brought from outside Ondo State before being dumped in the river.
The police assured residents that investigations are ongoing and pledged to uncover the perpetrators of the heinous crime.
