A 32-year-old lady, identified as Dorcas Shangev, was found dead with her body parts missing 24 hours after her birthday in Adem village, near the Welfare Quarters area of Makurdi, the Benue State capital.
It was gathered that the deceased went missing about a week ago until her dismembered body was found dumped at the village, after her body parts were removed by suspected ritualists.
A family source in Makurdi, who relayed the events leading to her disappearance and death, said the incident was already generating controversy as her family had started questioning the manner her remains were recovered and buried by the authorities.
According to the family source, “We gathered that on July 14, 2023, Dorcas escorted a friend of hers to the burial of her brother in-law. They returned to Makurdi on Saturday after the burial. When they returned, she didn’t go back home but slept at her friend’s house around the modern market area.
“The next day, July 16 ,2023, was her 32nd birthday. She left her friend’s house with a promise to call her friend by 3p.m. so that they can sit out.
“However, when she didn’t call back as arranged, the friend called to find out why she hadn’t called, but she didn’t pick her calls. The friend kept calling the whole of Sunday and continued till Monday.
“On Monday, the friend got a message that was sent from the lady’s (deceased) phone, but later on realised that she may not have been the one that actually sent the message, asking her to come to a certain address and when her friend got to the place, she discovered that she was dead and dismembered and some of her body parts scattered all over the place.
“While in a state of shock, she called her husband to the scene and the husband in turn called the police and it was discovered that her eyes, ears, tongue, breasts among other body parts were removed by whoever may have perpetrated the act.
“When the Police saw that the corpse had started to decompose, they called in the Benue State Environmental Sanitation Agency, BENSESA, which came, gathered the body parts into a plastic bag and buried her.
“This deceaed lady had been through a lot in recent times. She had gone through one trauma to the other. Only recently, she lost her elder sister.”
Contacted, acting General Manger of BENSESA, Mr. Martin Tseuma, who confirmed the development, explained that the agency buried the lady on the directives of the police.
His words; “We didn’t recover the body. The police at ‘B’ Division wrote to us that they have discovered an unknown corpse at Adem village, near Welfare Quarters.
“It was based on the report that they (Police) said we should evacuate the body for burial and that was what we did.
“We didn’t contact anyone because how do we know the family. But the family came to my office this (Monday) morning and I directed them to go back to the police from where we got the story of the unclaimed corpse. We were working based on the report from the police.”
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Catherine Anene, confirmed the murder saying investigation into the matter was ongoing.
