Missing 12-year-old boy found dead in Ogun

By Tayo ABIOLA

A 12-year-old John Soyinka declared missing about a week ago was reportedly found dead at Kotogbo community inside Asero Estate, Abeokuta, Monday morning.

It was gathered that John’s eyes were found removed with his wrists cut off.

His disappearance about a week ago was allegedly reported at Obantoko Police Station, Abeokuta.

A resident of the area who pleaded anonymity disclosed that the young schoolboy was said to have gone missing after trying to check on a customer who did POS transactions in a shop where the deceased usually assisted them but never came back.

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 POS transactions, maybe 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 District Police Officer at Obantoko Station.

“The DPO informed the police at Adigbe and Lafenwa but it was the boy’s corpse that was seen 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 removed while his wrists were also cut off. It’s an incident that has really thrown all the residents into mourning”.

When contacted for reaction, the spokesperson of Ogun State Police Command, SP Omolola Odutola, promised to get back to our Correspondent.