Bayelsa police nabs suspected killer of estate agent

By Samuel Oyadongha & Emem Idio

Yenagoa—The Bayelsa State Police Command’s Operation Puff Adder Tactical Squad has apprehended the suspected slayer of Richard Ekpebu, a 42-year-old property agent.

Ekpebu was abducted and killed connected July 24, 2025, with his assemblage dumped successful a bush on the New Otuoke Road adjacent Bayelsa Palm.

The suspect, identified arsenic George Idumangi, it was gathered claimed to beryllium a subordinate of the Ijaw Youths Council, IYC, worldwide.

He was arrested successful Lagos, portion trying to get an planetary passport astatine the migration office.

The constabulary probe was reactivated aft Ekpebu’s household petitioned implicit the alleged hold successful the case.

State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Francis Idu, subsequently transferred the lawsuit to Operation Puff Adder, led by Chris Nwaogbo.

Police sources confirmed that the probe and trailing of the suspected slayer took the operatives of the Bayelsa State Police Command’s Operation Puff Adder Tactical Squad from Yenagoa to Lekki, Ikorodu, Festac, Ikeja and Orile each successful Lagos State successful the past 1 week.

The investigating constabulary officers reportedly stormed the homes identified arsenic his hideout successful Lagos and narrowly missed him but were capable to retrieve a container containing immoderate of his valuables.

However, it was learned that the operatives successful 8 days arrested the miss person to the alleged slayer and recovered 1 pump enactment gun, 5 unrecorded cartridges, 2 bare AK 47 magazines, 10 walkie talkies, 10 chargers and 3 AK-47 firearm slings successful her custody successful Yenagoa.

Preliminary investigation, it was gathered revealed that the deceased property cause was contacted by the suspect’s miss person that determination was a onshore for sale, “The deceased cause linked the fishy with the imaginable purchaser and the sum of N9million was paid straight to the arrested fishy account.”

The miss was alleged to person got N1million for her relation successful the deal.

It was, however, learned that occupation started erstwhile the purchaser demanded for the documents of the land.

“The purchaser contacted the cause for the papers. And the cause asked them to conscionable the proprietor of the onshore arsenic helium was near retired of the transaction. He told the purchaser that alternatively of making him alert of the transaction, they paid without his knowledge,” said a source.

The deceased was told that his slayer claimed helium had been fixed the documents to the land. A assertion helium denied and called the fishy to pass him not to prevarication against him.

The suspect, successful institution of 1 Doggy and Insurance allegedly lured the deceased retired of his location and abducted him earlier sidesplitting him.

, “They killed him due to the fact that they privation to screen up the prevarication they told the purchaser that the deceased has ran distant with the onshore document.”

Police sources besides disclosed that the onshore had earlier been sold to different salient Bayelsan earlier the suspects sold it again to different person.

Confirming the incident, the authorities Commissioner of Police, Francis Idu, said: “After a painstaking quality and instrumentality enforcement measures, Mr. George Idumangi, who killed Mr. Richard Ekpebu, astatine Bayelsa thenar successful aboriginal August, was arrested connected Monday, successful Lagos trying to fly the country. This was done with existent intelligence. I americium grateful to the noble radical of Bayelsa and the prosperity government.”

The station Bayelsa constabulary nabs suspected slayer of property agent appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.