A grim discovery early Friday sent shockwaves through Benin City after the lifeless body of a man was found dumped directly opposite the Edo State Council Press Centre of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), prompting urgent calls for government and security intervention.
The body, believed to be that of a middle-aged man, was discovered lying motionless in front of Motel Plaza, along Sir Gabriel Igbinedion Way, GRA, Benin City, in the early hours of the day. The location is a major public space and sits directly opposite the NUJ Edo State Council headquarters.
In a statement signed by the Secretary of the Council, Andy Egbon, the NUJ said there were strong indications that the corpse may have been dumped at the scene overnight, noting that no incident or disturbance had been recorded in the area prior to the discovery.
The journalists’ union expressed deep concern over the continued presence of the body at such a prominent location, describing the situation as disturbing and a source of public health, safety and environmental risk. It added that the incident had caused visible distress to journalists working at the Press Centre, as well as residents and passers-by.
The NUJ therefore called on the Edo State Government, Oredo Local Government Council, relevant security agencies and emergency response services to act without delay by visiting the scene, evacuating the corpse and launching a thorough investigation.
According to the statement, the Council urged the police and environmental health authorities to immediately ascertain the identity of the deceased and unravel the circumstances surrounding his death, stressing the need for swift action in the interest of public decency, safety and accountability.
As of the time of filing this report, the body remained at the scene, with members of the public gathering nearby and awaiting official response from the authorities.
