Missing real estate executive found dead in forest

The body of Ekpeboh Richard, a prominent real estate executive and Vice Chairman of the Real Estate Consultants Association, has been discovered in a forest near the new NDDC IDP camp along Otuokpoti Road in Ogbia Local Government Area, Bayelsa State.

According to police sources, Richard was abducted, taken deep into the forest, and shot in the head, with his remains left in the bush. The gruesome discovery was made on Saturday night by operatives of the Rapid Response Unit of the Bayelsa State Police Command.

Richard, who hailed from Ammassoma in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, was last seen alive on July 24, 2025, after leaving his home and failing to return. His wife became alarmed when he had not come back by 2 a.m. the next day, prompting a search and eventual police investigation.

According to a family source, “Further prompting by the wife that she would reach out to the extended family to ask him why he abandoned the house was met by a promise to send money via POS. A sum of N15,300 was purportedly sent to a POS agent and not the wife’s account.

“It was later discovered that those who abducted and killed him were the same people using his phone to chat with the worried wife.”

Friends and colleagues subsequently alerted the police, prompting an investigation by the Rapid Response Squad led by CSP Bishop Elemide. Acting on intelligence, community cooperation, and eyewitness reports, officers traced the crime to two young men seen dragging the victim into the forest from a blue Honda Vboot car.

“What we heard later were gunshots,” the eyewitness recounted.

The suspects reportedly fled with Richard’s Toyota Matrix after the killing. Investigators also found signs of a struggle at the crime scene, including footwear located a short distance from where the body was recovered.
Police spokesperson DSP Musa Muhammad said he would provide further updates but had not commented as of press time.