Murder Suspect in Bayelsa Estate Agent Killing Arrested in Lagos

Police in Bayelsa State say they have arrested a man suspected of murdering a 42-year-old estate agent, Richard Ekpebu, whose body was discovered in a bush after he went missing in July.

The suspect, George Idumangi, was detained on Monday at a passport office in Lagos while allegedly attempting to obtain travel documents to leave the country. He had been on the run since the incident, and officers from Operation Puff Adder led by CSP Chris Nwaogbo, had tracked him across several areas of Lagos, including Lekki, Festac and Ikeja. Items linked to the crime, including two phones and a shirt inscribed with “IYC Tactical Team,” were earlier recovered from one of his hideouts.

Police said Ekpebu was lured into a fake land deal by a woman identified as 23-year-old Victory Benard Henry, said to be Idumangi’s girlfriend. The buyer paid ₦9 million directly into Idumangi’s account, and when the agent denied any knowledge of the transaction, he was allegedly abducted and killed to silence him.

Bayelsa State Police Commissioner Francis Idu confirmed the arrest, crediting “painstaking intelligence work” for tracking down the suspect. He thanked members of the public for their cooperation and reiterated the police’s commitment to justice.