Residents of Oke Egan in the Ilogbo-Eremi area of Badagry, Lagos State, have been left in shock following the discovery of the body of a woman identified as Victoria Adegoke in a nearby bush.
Community sources told journalists on Sunday that the deceased, believed to be in her 60s, was allegedly found unclothed, with indications suggesting she may have been assaulted and strangled before her body was dumped at the location.
Photographs obtained from the scene reportedly showed marks suggesting that the victim’s hands may have been tied by her attackers.
The incident reportedly occurred in the early hours of Friday, with the victim’s body said to have been discovered around 6:10 a.m.
A community leader, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the matter, said Adegoke had attended a programme at The Joy of Christ Ministry, popularly known as Ayo Jesu Church, before the incident.
According to the source, the deceased had remained around the church premises for several days because of an ongoing programme that ended a few days earlier.
“The deceased is someone I know personally. Her daughter lives abroad. She had attended a church programme and stayed around the area for some days because of the activities at the church,” the source said.
“She later stayed with one of her relatives who lives close to the church. It was while she was returning home very early in the morning that she was reportedly attacked.”
The source further alleged that the attackers removed the victim’s clothes and underwear before strangling her and abandoning her body in the bush.
“They also allegedly took away her mobile phone, but her ATM card and Bible were recovered at the scene,” the source added.
Another resident, identified simply as Adeola, described the incident as disturbing and questioned why an elderly woman would be subjected to such violence.
“She should be between 65 and 68 years old. Some passersby reportedly discovered her body in the bush and alerted the police at the Ilogbo-Eremi police post,” the resident said.
“The police are already aware of the incident, and we believe the stolen phone may help investigators trace those responsible.”
Another community member, who also requested anonymity for security reasons, described the area where the incident occurred as notorious for violent crimes and criminal activities.
“The community is located around the boundary between Lagos and Ogun states, and cases of violent attacks are not entirely new here,” the source said.
“This would be about the fourth similar incident recorded in the area. Residents are always advised to be careful, especially when moving around at odd hours.”
The source added that the victim’s condition at the scene raised suspicions that she may have been sexually assaulted before she was killed.
“She was an elderly woman and a grandmother. She was found unclothed, and it was only after the police arrived that her body was covered. Her underwear had been removed, which made many people suspect she was raped,” the source stated.
Efforts to get an official reaction from the Lagos State Police Command proved unsuccessful as the command’s spokesperson, CSP Abimbola Adebisi, did not respond to calls or a WhatsApp message sent to her line as of the time this report was filed.
