In a stunning development, operatives from the Zone 5 Police Headquarters have successfully traced the stolen corpse of an octogenarian landlord, Pa Anthony Edebiri, to his younger brother, Obakpolor Edebiri, residing in Benin City. The breakthrough comes after an exhaustive search spanning over two years.
The suspect, identified as Obakpolor Edebiri, confessed to being contracted to exhume and relocate his brother’s body to an undisclosed location. However, he has steadfastly refused to provide any further information that could aid in the recovery of the stolen remains. During interrogation at the homicide section of the zonal headquarters in Benin City, Obakpolor Edebiri adamantly refused to disclose the identities of his sponsors, co-conspirators, or their motives. He claimed that an oath of secrecy had been sworn, warning that revealing anything would result in his own demise.
Updating the media on the ongoing investigation, DSP Tijani Momoh, the Public Relations Officer of Zone 5 headquarters, responsible for the Edo and Delta States Police Command, shared the details of the shocking case. “The brother of the deceased, Mr. Obakpolor Edebiri, admitted to being contracted to exhume and remove the corpse of his brother, Anthony Edebiri. He stated that he took an oath not to reveal the whereabouts of the body, under the threat of death,” DSP Momoh explained. It is worth noting that Obakpolor Edebiri, being an elderly individual, was released on bail after his interrogation.
Furthermore, investigators reached out to a mortuary in Benin City, suspecting that the stolen corpse had been deposited there by the grave robbers. The mortuary authorities, however, responded by stating that they had no record of a Pa Anthony Edebiri in their facility. They added that anyone could come and check the bodies deposited with them for identification, as the perpetrators might have used a different name to conceal their actions.
Efforts to obtain comments from Mr. Obakpolor Edebiri or his family were unsuccessful at the time of reporting.
Recalling the initial incident, Pa Anthony Edebiri’s corpse was unlawfully exhumed and stolen mere hours after its interment at his private residence in Benin City on January 10, 2021.
This astonishing revelation has left the community in a state of shock and disbelief, as the investigation continues to uncover the identities of those involved and the reasons behind this disturbing act. The police remain dedicated to pursuing justice and ensuring that the stolen remains are returned to their rightful resting place.
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