Man found floating on river after declared missing in Osun

A resident of Ibokun, a community in Osun State, identified as Kehinde Ijebu, has reportedly drowned in a river within the town.

It was not clear when and how the incident happened, but a resident of Ibokun, who claimed to be living in the same neighbourhood as Kehinde, said the deceased suddenly disappeared on Tuesday.

The said resident, who preferred anonymity for personal reasons, said Kehinde had been exhibiting signs of depression lately.

“He went missing on Tuesday, and we could not find him. But on Wednesday, some people alerted us to a floating body on the Oyile River in Ibokun. Some residents and family members of the deceased went there, and he was found.

“The belief is that he drowned himself in the river due to a health challenge he had. His whereabouts were not known since Tuesday evening. Some people in the neighbourhood concluded he had disappeared as he used to do.

“His dead body was noticed floating on the river by passersby, who notified us. The matter was reported to the police,” the resident said.

Speaking on how the deceased was buried after the body had been retrieved from the river, the source said some rites were observed before Kehinde was “buried at the bank of the river around 11 am on Wednesday.”

When contacted on Thursday, the spokesperson for Osun Police Command, Abiodun Ojelabi, said there was no mark of violence on the body of the deceased when it was retrieved.

He said, “The incident happened. There were no marks of violence on his body. The family approached us that they wanted to bury him, but we suggested an autopsy, which they objected to.

“They said they wanted to bury him. I can’t say how or where he was buried. Investigation is still ongoing into the matter.”

Punch