The decomposed remains of a 45-year-old pastor, Esere Okilo, have been discovered in his home in Ekeki, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, more than a year after he was reported missing.
Okilo, a native of Nembe-Bassambiri, had not been seen for 15 months before his sister stumbled upon his skeletal remains on Wednesday, January 22.
The discovery took place when the sister, facing accommodation issues, visited the house. Upon looking through a window, she saw the pastor’s skeleton sitting on a toilet, wearing only a singlet.
Residents of the area were reportedly unaware of any unpleasant odour coming from the apartment during the pastor’s prolonged absence. Neighbours described Okilo as a devout individual who kept to himself and was generally not involved in the community.
Okilo lived in one of two flats in the compound, while his elder brother and his wife occupied the other. Reports indicated that the siblings had been estranged. Neighbours revealed that the toilet door where the body was found had been locked from the inside, raising further questions about the circumstances surrounding his death.
Although the pastor’s family had previously voiced concerns about his disappearance, some believed he had simply gone on one of his routine church pilgrimages. However, after police were called to the scene to remove the remains, they arrested Okilo’s elder brother on suspicion of covering up the death.
A source from the Federal Medical Centre in Yenagoa told Punch that there were signs that formalin, a chemical used to preserve corpses, had been applied to the body to mask the smell. “Medical staff said there are indications that a substance like formalin was sprinkled on the corpse to stop the smell,” the source explained.