By Deborah Nnamdi
The discovery of the decomposing body of 45 years old Preacher Esere Okilo in his residence, some 15 months after he was declared missing, has thrown residents of Jacob Beredugo Street along the Osiri axis of Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State, into bewilderment.
The body was discovered by one of his concerned female relatives, who was having accommodation issues and decided to check on the residence of his brother by looking through the window and found the decomposing body of his brother sitting on the toilet with only his singlet.
The discovery, which occurred on Wednesday night, threw residents into panic as many claimed they were not aware and did not perceive any foul odor of a decomposing corpse.
The deceased, Esere Okilo is from Nembe-Bassambiri in Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State and is known as a loner and a man of God, and was staying in a compound housing two flats. While he stays in one, his senior brother and his wife occupy the other.
According to a neighbor, “The two brothers were not on talking terms as he was reported to always refer to the brother and the wife as a bewitched duo.”
It was gathered that a few months ago, the immediate family had a meeting expressing concern over his whereabouts and declared him missing. But some other family members thought he had gone on one of his usual church pilgrimages.
Another neighbor confirmed to our correspondent that the Operatives of the Ekeki division of the Bayelsa Police Command, who came to evacuate the body of the deceased, arrested the senior brother on the alleged suspicion of covering up the death of the deceased.
A police source informed that a preliminary chat with workers at the Federal Medical Center morgue claimed that there were signs of formalin sprinkled on the corpse to cover up the foul smell from the apartment.
