Shock and grief swept through Oke Egan in the Ilogbo-Eremi area of Badagry, Lagos State, on Friday morning after the body of a 65-year-old woman, Victoria Adegoke, was discovered abandoned in a bush near the community. Residents who found her said she was naked and bore signs of a violent attack.
According to community sources, the grandmother had just concluded a four-day programme at The Joy of Christ Ministry, popularly known as Ayo Jesu Church. After staying briefly with a sibling close to the church, she set out for home around 6:00 a.m. on Friday when she was ambushed by suspected hoodlums.
Witnesses said that the attackers stripped Adegoke of her clothes and underwear, strangled her, and dragged her body into the bush. Her hands appeared to have been tied, and her phone, ATM card, and Bible were found at the scene, suggesting robbery was also a motive.
A resident, who gave his name only as Adeola, said passersby stumbled on the body and reported it to the police post in Ilogbo-Eremi. He described the incident as shocking, questioning why elderly women were being targeted in such a brutal manner.
Locals say the area, which sits along the Lagos-Ogun boundary, has become notorious for violent crimes. One community member claimed this was the fourth similar incident reported in the area, warning that residents now live in constant fear.
When contacted, the Lagos State Police Command spokesperson, CSP Abimbola Adebisi, had not responded to calls or messages as of Sunday. Police are expected to investigate the case using clues from the victim’s stolen phone, as residents demand swift action to curb the rising insecurity in the border community.