One Ayodeji Adeniyi has been arrested by the police for killing and burying his eighty-year-old mother in the Gbagada area of Lagos.
It was gathered that the homicide detectives exhumed the body of Ma Victoria Adeniyi, said to have been secretly killed by her son Ayodeji over her properties.
The late woman was said to have being last seen in November last year.
According to The Nation, the suspect was alleged to have strangled and embalmed her inside a room in their twin-duplex mansion till January when he buried her.
“There was a time our church gave me something for Mama who really needed care. The son was not caring for her at all despite all the money the woman had,” a neighbour said.
“So, I went to the house and asked Ayodeji where Mama was He said she’s inside. I requested to see her because I had something for her but he said no, that they were okay and needed nothing. I told him I had a message for her but he still didn’t let me see her. Each time I saw him, I usually asked after Mama and he would say she was alright. I did not know such a thing happened.”
But his alleged atrocity came to light when he stated selling off his mother’s properties with alleged forged documents and letter of administration obtained from the probate court through which he took possession of all the woman’s properties as well as those owned by her late husband.
Ayodeji was said to have sold off one of his mother’s three properties at Ketu for about N21million and was on the verge of selling the second one when people who knew his other siblings.
“That was when his other brothers got their lawyer, Aborisade Olusegun involved. They still asked him and he claimed their mother was well and at home.
“Thinking that he kidnapped their mother, their lawyer petitioned the police alleging abduction of the old woman.
“For more than three weeks, the police kept inviting Ayodeji but he never showed up,” a resident said,
“It was after his arrest that he eventually confessed that their mother was dead and that he buried her in the compound.”
Mrs. Adeniyi’s younger son, grandson and other relatives who were seen in the vicinity declined comments on the incident.
Police spokesman Olumuyiwa Adejobi confirmed the case, saying the woman’s body had been exhumed.
“Autopsy will reveal the cause of death. The suspect is in custody. The case is under investigation,” he said.