By Esther Onyegbula

LAGOS — The Lagos State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, Yaba, is currently investigating the murder of a man whose corpse was discovered recently in an abandoned Previa vehicle at Agbala, in Ikorodu area.

Vanguard gathered that the body of the yet-to-be identified victim was found in the pool of his blood inside the abandoned vehicle after it reportedly got sunk in a swampy area where the suspects purportedly went to dispose the corpse.

The corpse had several cuts in different parts of the body, and a slit on the neck, with his hands tied.

Vanguard learned that although the alleged perpetrators of the crime are currently on the run, the driver of the vehicle, Akorede Hameed, is in police custody.

It was gathered that one Mr Joseph Emmanuel bought the vehicle on hire purchase and handed it over to Akorede last August who had been paying N4,000 as daily delivery to Joseph.

Suspect’s account

According to the suspect, Akorede: “I use the vehicle for commercial purpose in one of the parks located in Ikorodu area. On that faithful day, one Sunday pleaded with me to allow him use the vehicle for one trip. I agreed because we both work in the same park and I was very tired that evening.

“Unknown to me that Sunday had ulterior motives. After waiting several hours for Sunday to return with the vehicle and did not, I knew something was wrong, although I could not place my hand at what exactly it was.

“I felt maybe he was arrested by police or LASTMA officials. I also tried to contact him via his mobile but it was switched off.

“I called Mr Joseph to notify him of what was happening because each day after the close of work, I take the vehicle back to him.

“The next morning, two members of the park where I work informed me that they saw the vehicle at Agbala area in Ikorodu. Immediately I rushed to the location only to discover a corpse inside the vehicle that sunk into the marshy area. I don’t know the victim or what happened or led to his death.”

Confirming the incident, the spokesperson, Lagos State Police Command, DSP Kenneth Nwosu, said the case was still being investigated at Lagos State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, Yaba.