Jacob Adebayo Pelumi, the prime suspect in the killing of photojournalist Ayo Aiyepeku, has reportedly died by suicide in Kogi State.
The Kogi State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Williams Ovye-Aya, confirmed the development on Thursday, July 24, 2025. According to Ovye-Aya, Pelumi’s body was discovered in a hotel room in Lokoja, the state capital, just hours after police launched a manhunt for him on Wednesday.
“The hotel management alerted us early Thursday morning about a corpse found in one of their rooms,” Ovye-Aya said. “When we arrived at the scene, we confirmed the deceased was the suspect wanted in connection with the murder of the photojournalist. A suicide note and a bottle of Sniper insecticide were found beside the bed.”
Pelumi’s body has been taken to the Federal University Teaching Hospital in Lokoja for an autopsy to determine the precise cause of death.
Recalling the original crime, Ovye-Aya stated that Ayo Aiyepeku was brutally murdered on Tuesday night in his office near the Government House and GRA area of Lokoja.
A Hilux vehicle allegedly used by the suspect has since been recovered and is now in police custody at the ‘A’ Division police station. A deep freezer found inside the vehicle has also been seized by investigators.
Efforts to locate Aiyepeku’s remains are ongoing, as the victim’s body is yet to be found.
According to witness accounts, Pelumi—a serving officer with the Nigeria Correctional Service, Zone H in Makurdi, which covers Kogi and Benue States—allegedly struck Aiyepeku on the head, dismembered his body, and stored the remains in a refrigerator. The incident reportedly took place in Aiyepeku’s office.
“The matter was reported to the Divisional Police Officer, A Division, as a case of culpable homicide,” Ovye-Aya told Arise News on Wednesday. “Police visited the scene and immediately commenced an investigation. The Commissioner of Police, CP Miller Dantawaye, has directed that the case be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for discreet investigation.”
Ovye-Aya assured that authorities remain committed to uncovering the full circumstances surrounding the case.
