The Edo State Police Command has exhumed the body of a 72-year-old female trader, Mrs. Vero Akazuma, who was brutally killed and buried in a shallow grave on a farm in Afuze, Owan East Local Government Area of Edo State, according to a report by Daily Post.
Mrs. Akazuma, a regular trader, met her untimely demise on June 17, 2024, after being lured to the farm under the pretense of purchasing corn.
Reports indicate that Mrs. Akazuma was invited by one of her regular customers, a farmer, to buy corn from his farm. Trusting the familiar face, she traveled from her residence in Auchi to Afuze. Upon arriving, she and the farmer, identified only as Michael, boarded a motorcycle to the farm, marking the last journey she would ever make.
Eyewitnesses recount that instead of selling corn to Mrs. Akazuma, Michael turned on her, killing her and taking her money. He then hastily buried her in a shallow grave on the farm and fled the scene, leaving her family in despair and confusion when she failed to return home.
The alarm was raised by Mrs. Akazuma's worried children, who reported her missing at local police stations in Auchi and Afuze. The case quickly escalated and was transferred to the Anti-Kidnapping and Cybercrime Unit of the Edo State Police Command. This specialized unit embarked on a rigorous investigation to uncover the whereabouts of Mrs. Akazuma and bring her killer to justice.
During the investigation, police traced Mrs. Akazuma's mobile phone to the commercial motorcyclist who had transported her and Michael to the farm. Upon his arrest and interrogation, the motorcyclist admitted to dropping both the deceased and Michael at the farm but claimed he had no further involvement. This crucial lead directed the police’s attention back to the farm.
On June 26, 2024, the efforts of the police bore fruit as they discovered a grave in the bush during a thorough search of the area. The decomposing body of Mrs. Akazuma was exhumed in the presence of police, vigilantes, and mortuary attendants. Her remains were then transported to the mortuary for an autopsy and further investigation, as the search for the elusive Michael intensified.
In a heartbreaking video that has since gone viral, Mr. Okonofua, the son of the deceased, is seen and heard lamenting the tragic loss of his mother. He tearfully narrated how his mother, a resident of Auchi, had traveled to Afuze to purchase corn, only to meet a gruesome end. He expressed his grief and outrage that instead of simply robbing her, the perpetrators took her life as well.