A wave of unease has gripped Gbagi, a neighborhood in the Egbeda Local Government Area of Ibadan, Oyo State, after the lifeless body of an unidentified elderly man was discovered beside the road on Tuesday morning. The body was found in front of Adriel Academy, along the old Ife Express Road.
The Discovery and Reaction
When our correspondent visited the scene in the afternoon, the body had already begun to emit a foul odor, causing passersby to cover their noses and hurry past the area. Eyewitnesses confirmed that the elderly man had been seen alive at the same spot just a day before, wearing a different set of clothes.
Bunmi Ishola, a local vendor, remarked, “The man was sitting there yesterday. We were shocked to hear that he’s dead now. The clothes he wore yesterday were completely different.” Another trader, Elizabeth Opalere, expressed concern over the situation, saying, “I don’t think anyone knows this man. People have been walking by all morning, but no one has come forward to identify him. It seems he is not from this neighborhood.”
Health Concerns for Students
The discovery of the body near Adriel Academy raised concerns about the health and wellbeing of students. The Head of School, Mr. Oje Soji, acknowledged the potential health risks, especially the psychological effects the students could experience from being exposed to such a scene. “We were seriously considering closing the school because of the health risk to our students. It is not appropriate for children to be exposed to such a scene,” Mr. Soji explained.
He further revealed that the school had alerted the police and local council authorities, requesting the prompt removal of the body. “We have reported to the police and the council, and they assured us that they would come to handle the situation as soon as possible,” he added.
Police and Local Authorities Respond
The Divisional Police Officer for the Gbagi area, Mr. Aderanti Alao, confirmed the incident and assured the public that the body would be removed later on Tuesday. “Yes, we received a complaint about the corpse. We have already given the complainants a letter, and I also notified the council, and they promised to remove it today. There is no reason for alarm; everything is being handled,” he said.
Calm Restored After Removal of the Body
On Wednesday, Mr. Soji confirmed that the council had removed the body, which helped bring calm to the area. “They have removed the corpse yesterday (Tuesday) evening,” he said, assuring residents that the situation had been resolved.
The mysterious death of the elderly man remains under investigation as authorities continue to work to determine the circumstances surrounding his demise.
