Benin City, Edo State, has been left in shock following the gruesome murder and beheading of a 43-year-old tailor, Edobor Lawrence. A 27-year-old suspect, Uwadiae Airebiuwa, was apprehended while carrying a freshly severed human head in a polythene bag.
A Night of Tragedy
Lawrence had attended a funeral earlier in the day and later spent time socializing with friends before heading home. Around midnight, his friends dropped him off near his residence on Osagie Street, Evbuotubu Quarters, unaware that it would be their last encounter with him.
As he walked home, he encountered a group of men, whom he may have mistaken for local vigilantes conducting a routine stop-and-search. However, these were not security personnel. A witness, who had stepped outside, reported hearing a commotion, followed by a chilling scream and eerie silence.
Lawrence was brutally attacked, killed, and beheaded in a suspected ritual killing.
Fateful Arrest and Shocking Discovery
The killers attempted to leave the scene unnoticed, but their plan was foiled when they spotted an approaching security patrol. Most of the assailants fled in different directions, but Uwadiae Airebiuwa was caught.
Police operatives from the Evbuotubu Division, working with local vigilantes, stopped and questioned him. When asked about the contents of his bag, he hesitated, raising suspicions. Upon searching the bag, officers were horrified to discover a freshly severed human head.
Further investigation led the police to the rest of Lawrence’s mutilated body near Eweka Shopping Plaza.
Conflicting Claims and Suspicious Circumstances
During interrogation, Airebiuwa denied involvement in the murder, claiming he was set up and forced to hold the head. However, his version of events had glaring inconsistencies:
How did he know the exact location of Lawrence’s body?
Why was he the only suspect caught while others escaped?
Why was he in possession of the severed head?
Additionally, a video surfaced online showing Airebiuwa spending lavishly at a nightclub days before the incident, raising suspicions of his involvement in ritual killings for financial gain.
Police Investigation and Public Warning
Edo State Police Commissioner Betty Otimenyin has launched a manhunt for the other suspects who escaped. She extended condolences to Lawrence’s family and assured the public that those responsible would face justice.
She also urged young people to seek legitimate means of making money rather than engaging in criminal activities like ritual killings.
Unanswered Questions and a Call for Vigilance
Was Lawrence specifically targeted, or was this a random attack?
Are there more accomplices still at large?
Was this a planned ritual sacrifice or a robbery gone wrong?
Regardless, this gruesome crime highlights the dangers lurking at night. The public is urged to remain cautious and vigilant, as ritual killers show no regard for human life in their pursuit of wealth.
May justice prevail for Lawrence and his grieving family.
