Operatives of the Bayelsa State Police Command have commenced an investigation into the discovery of the decomposing body of a mother of three children in a gutter along Akaili Street in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
The corpse of the woman, discovered on Sunday morning following an offensive odour, had a rope tied around her neck and showed signs that she had been strangled and dragged a few metres to the gutter.
Residents of Akaili Street identified her as Ese, a native of Egbo in Delta State and a trader of cow skin, popularly known as Kpomo, at Opolo Market.
Already, people are pointing accusing fingers at her ex-husband and father of her children, who many claimed had a domestic quarrel with the deceased recently.
The younger sister of the deceased, Precious, 16, had brought the discovery to the attention of a family member.
A family member who didn’t want his name revealed told OsunDailyNG: “Precious was asked by the police if her deceased sister had a history of illness and she said no.”
Another family member, who pleaded anonymity, told OsunDailyNG: “Collins came to the house while the deceased wasn’t around and went away with the three children without her consent.
“On December 27, she met him on the road and forcefully retrieved the children back to the house. Thereafter, the same day, he came to our house at night, and that was the last day I saw my aunty.
“The following day, he came and we inquired to know where my aunty was since we didn’t see her throughout the night. He (Collins) claimed she had travelled and would be back by Sunday.”
Another family member also told OsunDailyNG: “At first, we thought it was a ritual-related death. Not until we broke the culvert and brought her out and discovered that our sister was strangled.”
He said further: “He killed her in the house, brought her to this point and pushed her body inside the gutter. Her face had decomposed and her body had started smelling because it happened days before we discovered it. We have been trying to reach him (Collins), but his phone is switched off.”
Contacted on the development, the spokesman of the Bayelsa State Police Command, Musa Mohammed, confirmed the development and said a police team had evacuated the corpse of the deceased.
“We have commenced an investigation. But no suspect has been arrested,” he said.
