Bayelsa Police recover body of missing Real Estate mogul in Forest

The Bayelsa State Police Command has confirmed the tragic death of Mr. Ekpeboh Richard, a prominent figure in the real estate sector, whose body was discovered days after he was declared missing.

According to police reports, operatives of the Rapid Response Squad found Richard’s corpse in a swampy area of a forest between the new NDDC IDP Camp Road and Otuokpoti community in Ogbia Local Government Area around 6 p.m. on Saturday. He was reportedly shot in the head at close range in what appeared to be an execution-style killing before his body was dumped.

The deceased, who served as the Vice Chairman of the Real Estate Consultant Association of Bayelsa State and hailed from Amassoma in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, was married with two children. He was last seen on July 24, 2025, after leaving home under unexplained circumstances.

His disappearance raised alarm after he failed to return home by midnight. His wife grew increasingly worried and, by 2 a.m. the next day, she began alerting family and authorities. She later received a WhatsApp message purportedly from Richard, assuring her he was fine. Another message claimed money would be sent through a POS operator instead of directly to her account. A sum of ₦15,300 was sent, accompanied by a message referencing a ₦9 million debt and ₦3 million owed to members of the real estate association.

However, police investigations have since revealed that the messages were sent by Richard’s abductors in a bid to mislead the family and authorities.

Eyewitness accounts said two young men in a blue Honda V-Boot were seen dragging Richard into the bush, where he was shot twice before they fled with his Toyota Matrix vehicle.

The State Criminal Investigation Department has taken over the case and assured the public that a thorough investigation is underway to apprehend the culprits behind the gruesome murder.