Body of Missing Kogi Photojournalist Found Days After Alleged Murder By Correctional Officer

After several days of anxiety and search efforts, the decomposing body of 26-year-old Kogi photojournalist, Ayobami Aiyepeku, has been discovered in a bushy area around the Crusher axis of Lokoja, the Kogi State capital.

Aiyepeku, an indigene of Ekinrin-Adde in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, was allegedly lured and murdered on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, by a serving officer of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Adebayo Pelumi.

Residents in the area alerted authorities after perceiving a foul odour coming from the bush. The Lokoja Local Government Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, along with security officials, responded to the scene where the body was found on Sunday evening.

According to sources, after allegedly committing the crime, Pelumi fled with the victim’s body, sparking a police manhunt. The search culminated in the recovery of both the corpse and, later, the body of the suspect.

It was gathered that Pelumi was found dead in a hotel in Lokoja, having reportedly ingested a poisonous substance in an apparent suicide.

Ayobami’s remains have been deposited at the Kogi State Specialist Hospital morgue in Lokoja, while investigations into the tragic incident are ongoing.