Mutilated body of missing 12-year-old found in Ogun community

The lifeless body of 12-year-old John Soyinka, who had been reported missing, was reportedly discovered in Kotogbo community within Asero Estate, Abeokuta, with some of his body parts missing, creating a harrowing scene.

Sources indicate that Soyinka was declared missing about a week prior, prompting a report to the Obantoko Police Station in Abeokuta.

According to an anonymous resident, the schoolboy disappeared after attempting to check on a customer who had earlier conducted a Point of Sale (PoS) transaction in a shop where Soyinka usually assisted.

The source said, “I know the boy very well, he is about 12 years old and he lived with his mother who I guessed is no longer with her husband. His mother is into menial jobs like helping people to sweep and the rest.

“The boy too was going to school but I also usually see him at a business centre where they do PoS operations and barbing, I think he must be assisting them there.

“What we heard was that, last week Thursday, he said he wanted to check on a customer who did a PoS transaction, apparently may be there was something to sort out about the transaction but the boy never came back.

“The boy and his mother lived at Olasunkanmi community and so the Community Development Association reported the matter to the Divisional Police Officer at Obantoko Station,

“The DPO informed the police at Adigbe and Lafenwa but it was the boy’s corpse that was found at Kotogbo community just beside Olasunkanmi on Monday. The two communities are inside Asero Estate, Abeokuta. It is suspected to be a case of ritual killing because the boy’s eyes were plucked while his wrists were also cut off. It’s an incident that has thrown residents into mourning.”

When contacted for reaction, the spokesperson for the state police command, SP Omolola Odutola, said she would check and get back to our correspondent.