The Adeosun/Idi Orogbo community in Idol Local Government Area of Oyo State was thrown into panic on Sunday when they found of one of their landlords, Mr John Aderemi Abiola, in his room, almost four years after he was last seen in December 2018.
The finding was made after the community decided, with the approval of the police authorities, to go into his compound to clear the bush in his compound which had overgrown his fence into the next house, causing invasion by reptiles
The central chairman of Adeosun/Idi Orogbo Landlords’ Association, Mr Oluwafemi Omilana, who spoke with the Nigerian Tribune, said that late Mr Abiola always paid his dues.
“But we noticed that he didn’t associate with others and he came to landlords’ meeting just once. His house has a high fence and was constructed at the back with big space in front to the gate.
“We started noticing his absence in the community, although he didn’t mostly stay at home. He used to travel to Port Harcourt in Rivers State. He was an engineer. His compound had become so bushy that snakes were just being seen crawling from there into the house beside him. At a point, we had a meeting and decided to go over the fence to clear the bush.
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“On Sunday, we came there with the owner of the house beside him, paid some labourers to clear the bush. When they cleared the front of his building within the compound and could see the house clearly, they saw that the window was open. They peeped in and saw that the man had died a long time ago, with only his skeleton on his bed.
“Immediately, I called the Divisional Police, Apete Division. When we got to the entrance to his apartment, we discovered that it was locked from the inside. We forced it open and saw his skeleton on his bed, with his three phones. One was by his left hand, one was at the back of his head and connected to the wall socket and the third one by his right side. The police have tried to source for his contacts so that we can reach his family but the phone lines had become invalid. There was a phone number we found on one of his identity cards and I called it, but the person called and those with him were just laughing. It seemed they found the enquiries we were making strange. We have the feeling that the number has been re-allocated to another person.
“We have not been able to trace any member of his family. We also made efforts to get needed information from those who worked for him as bricklayer, welder, mechanic, but they told us that Mr Abiola was not the type to disclose his family information to anyone. He used to be alone. We learnt that he and his wife had a disagreement in Port Harcourt and separated. That was why he decided to move into the house he built at Adeosun without letting anyone know where he was.”
Mr Omilana also said that the skeleton had hot been removed because the community does not want to risk anything.
“The environmental officials were with us but they said that we should do it but get approval from the environment authorities. Now, we want to try and trace the family as much as we can. Mr Abiola had once told one of those who worked with him that his mother was living at Agugu. We want to go there and trace the area to get his family. If that is not successful, we will get the approval from the Ministry of Environment and do the necessary,” he further said.
