The Edo State Police Command has announced the arrest of a 31 year old man, Joshua Osaigbovo, for the alleged murder of 21 year old girlfriend identified as Osato Festus Edogiaweria.
According to a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Moses Yamu, the case came to light when the mother of the deceased, Mrs Ojo, reported at the Aduwawa Division on 25 April, 2025, that her daughter, Osato, had left home five days earlier with a friend and had not been heard since then.
Yamu said the matter was transferred to the State Criminal Investigations Department, where detectives launched a painstaking investigation, employing both traditional and technical means.
He added that the efforts led to the arrest of the suspect, Joshua Osaigbovo, in the Iyanomon Community of Ikpoba Okha local government area on 18 June, 2025.
During interrogation, Osaigbovo confessed to inviting the deceased to his residence on 27 April, 2025, where an altercation ensued.
The suspect claimed that Osato fell and struck her head on the ground, dying on the spot but in a bid to cover up the crime, he transported the body in a wheelbarrow to a nearby bush and buried it in a shallow grave a few metres from his home.
On 20 June, 2025, Osaigbovo led detectives to the site where Osato’s remains were exhumed in the presence of the relevant authorities.
Yamu said the suspect is expected to be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.
The Police Command reassured the public of its commitment to tackling all forms of crime and ensuring that perpetrators are brought to book.
