There was an uneasy calm at Hassan Abiodun Street off Ojodu Berger in Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State on Friday when residents of a storey building woke up to the death of two lovers in an apartment in the building.
The names of the deceased were given as Bode Ojugbele (male) and Ifedayo Bolanle (female), who was the tenant in the building, while the man came on a visit.
A source told one of our correspondents that the heads of the victims were smashed, which made the neighbours to conclude that it was the handwork of the Badoo cult. But the Police Public Relations Officer in Ogun State, Abimbola Oyeyemi, told one of our correspondents on Friday evening that the death was a result of rivalry over the woman.
He said, "People were insinuating whether it was Badoo or not. But it wasn't Badoo. It was as a result of rivalry over the woman. There had been threatening messages between the man that died and another person still at large, who might be the ex-lover to the deceased woman.
"A younger brother to the deceased told us about this and we are tracing the man (suspect) now. We are working to unravel the mystery behind the killing. People should not attribute every death to Badoo because doing that would be giving the cult unnecessary publicity.
"We are not leaving any stone unturned to make sure we get the killer arrested. We have a clue now and we are working on it."
Meanwhile, many of the residents could not be consoled as policemen from Ojodu Abiodun Division took away the remains of the deceased for onward transfer to the General Hospital, Sagamu.
The residents wailed as the corpses were brought out of the room and covered with wrappers.
A resident told our correspondent that the victims were planning to get married in December.
"The lady recently lost her father and the man she was to marry only came on a visit. She was a tall, beautiful lady and was also pregnant," the resident said.
It was also gathered that their assailant(s) tore the window net to gain entry and thereafter smashed the lovers' heads.
Another resident said none of the tenants knew what happened until daybreak.
The resident, who would not want to be named, said, "There is a police officer who lives next door to the deceased's Boy's Quarter. He did not hear anything. It is very sad and this development will create panic in the area."
Our correspondent observed that a police station is a stone's throw from where the murder took place even as residents said vigilantes patrol the street every night.
The police also arrested a man who tried to take a picture of their van and the vehicle used to evacuate the victims.
As of 11am, the occupants of the building were still crying at the frontage.
-The PUNCH
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