Gunmen kill real estate official, dump body after chatting wife with his phone

DDM News

The Bayelsa State Police Command has confirmed the gruesome discovery of the lifeless body of Ekpeboh Richard, a real estate professional who was declared missing earlier in the week.

Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered that his corpse was discovered in a forest along the New NDDC Road in Ogbia Local Government Area by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) around 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 2, 2025.

Ekpeboh, who was the Vice Chairman of the Real Estate Consultants Association of Bayelsa, had been reported missing by his family after he failed to return home on Wednesday, July 24.

The 38-year-old native of Amassoma in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area was married and a father of two.

Police sources disclosed that Ekpeboh was killed in an execution-style shooting and dumped deep in the forest.

According to eyewitnesses and youth informants who assisted in the investigation, two unidentified young men were seen dragging him from a blue Honda vehicle before taking him into the forest.

Two gunshots were heard shortly afterward, and the suspects were seen fleeing the scene in the same vehicle.

The killers also made away with Ekpeboh’s Toyota Matrix car.

His murder has sent shockwaves through the Bayelsa real estate community, with many colleagues describing his death as a deliberate, calculated act.

Family sources said the last time they heard from him was through a strange chat message.

His wife, worried about his sudden disappearance, had made several calls which went unanswered for three days.

When he finally responded via chat, he discouraged her from alerting extended family members, claiming he was fine.

The message also included a N15,300 transfer supposedly made through a POS agent to calm her worries.

However, further investigation revealed that it was not Ekpeboh who sent the messages, but rather the perpetrators using his phone to create the illusion that he was still alive.

According to statements from friends, the deceased had confided that he was indebted to two individuals within the real estate association—one for ₦9 million and another for ₦3 million.

It remains unclear if the financial dispute is connected to his killing.

The Rapid Response Squad, led by CSP Bishop Elemide, launched a manhunt following a report filed by friends and family members.

Investigators found signs of a struggle near the area where his body was recovered, including scattered footwear and signs of dragging.

Police at the homicide unit of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) have since taken over the case.

The department is now piecing together available evidence and has vowed to bring those responsible to justice.

Bayelsa residents are demanding a thorough probe, especially in light of the chilling impersonation used to mislead the victim’s family during the critical hours after his abduction.

Civil society groups and the real estate association have called for increased protection of professionals in high-risk sectors like real estate, where violent disputes over transactions have become disturbingly frequent.

Ekpeboh’s brutal murder adds to a growing list of unresolved killings in the Niger Delta region, raising concerns about security lapses and the effectiveness of law enforcement in rural and forested zones.

His death is not only a painful loss to his family and colleagues but also a disturbing indicator of how financial disputes and criminal elements continue to claim lives in cold blood.

The police have urged anyone with useful information about the perpetrators or the whereabouts of the stolen Toyota Matrix to come forward anonymously.

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