A 70-year-old man, Sikiru Olatunji, who was reported missing in Wasinmi-Imasayi, Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State, has been found dead. His lifeless body was discovered lying face up near the Ibese boundary with Imasayi on Tuesday.
According to reports, Olatunji had gone to his farm on Friday but failed to return, prompting his family to raise an alarm. The Baale of Wasinmi-Imasayi, Taiwo Akinola, stated that he was informed of Olatunji’s disappearance by his wife and had instructed the community security team to search the forest.
During the search, Olatunji’s cap was found, and his boots were seen hanging on a tree. However, the septuagenarian was later found dead with his farming tool beside him. The discovery of his body has sent shockwaves through the community.
The Aare Ona Kakanfo of Imasayi, Sanni Waheed, who was present at the scene, described Olatunji as a supportive member of the community. Waheed disclosed that there were no signs of attack or strangulation on the body when it was found.
“It is very surprising, and we are not happy about this incident. This was a very kind and supportive man in the community. Many of my men have been in the bush since Friday searching for him, only to discover his body today. It is very unfortunate,” Waheed said.
The Baale of Wasinmi-Imasayi, Chief Taiwo Akinola, while reacting to the incident, lauded the security agencies in the community for their search efforts. He added that the deceased’s family can finally have closure.
However, Akinola called on the government to improve healthcare facilities in rural areas, especially for the elderly, to prevent cases of exhaustion among the ageing population.
Meanwhile, the Olu of Imasayi, Oba Lukman Adeleke Kuoye, told our correspondent that although there were no visible signs of attack on the body, he could not rule out the presence of herdsmen in the community as a potential factor.
The monarch appealed to the Ogun Commissioner of Police to implement the resolutions from their last joint security meeting on the issue of herdsmen. He also called for a post-mortem examination to be conducted on the deceased to determine the cause of death.
The spokesperson for the Ogun State Police Command, Omolola Odutola, confirmed the incident when contacted. The police are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding Olatunji’s death.
