The Bovita central community in Badagry, Lagos State, has been thrown into grief after the lifeless body of a 28-year-old artisan, Ayienugba Ezekiel, was discovered in an abandoned fish pond.
His remains, found with his hands bound behind his back, have left relatives and residents in shock.
Ezekiel, who lived in the community with his 24-year-old wife, Abiola, and their toddler son, was last seen on Saturday, September 13, 2025. Earlier in the day, he had gone out to watch a football match before returning home briefly to help his wife refill a cooking gas cylinder. Later, he tended to his animals at the pig farm before informing his wife that he was heading to a birthday party around 6 p.m. That was the last time his family saw him alive.
When he did not return by nightfall, his wife became worried as his phone was switched off. Hours later, news spread that a body had been spotted in a pond near the party venue. Family members rushed to the scene, where Ezekiel’s brother entered the swampy water to search. He eventually pulled out Ezekiel’s body, which bore signs that suggested he had been killed before being dumped there.
The family immediately took him to Badagry General Hospital, but doctors confirmed him dead. They reported the case to the police before depositing his body at the mortuary. Relatives insisted he could not have drowned, noting the absence of water in his system when his body was checked.
Community sources alleged that a fight broke out during the birthday party, and the celebrant may have ordered that Ezekiel be tied up. What happened afterwards remains unclear, though many believe the loud music at the event masked his cries for help.
The Lagos State Police Command has begun an investigation into the killing. Officers at the Badagry Division have taken statements from witnesses and are working to identify those who attended the party. Residents remain unsettled, with fear spreading through the community over the brutal death of a man described as lively, hardworking, and devoted to his young family.
For his widow Abiola, the tragedy has left a painful void. The couple, married for just three years, had looked forward to milestones together, including taking their son to school for the first time. Instead, she now faces the reality of raising him alone while seeking justice for her husband’s death.