A beauty queen and student of the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY) in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Happiness Odeh, has been killed.
It was gathered that Odeh, a National Diploma II student of Mass Communication, won the Miss MAPOLY beauty contest on August 3, 2022.
She was kidnapped on Tuesday evening, and MAPOLY Students Union Government (SUG) confirmed the tragic murder on Sunday.
The SUG issued a statement that was jointly signed by its President, Sodiq Ajani, and the Public Relations Officer, Joy Okolie.
The duo said the deceased was kidnapped three days ago while going to visit a movie location in Ipara, Ode Remo.
She was allegedly raped before being killed in cold blood.
“Moshood Abiola Polytechnic Students Union (MAPSU) announces the untimely death of Miss Happiness Odeh, a Mass Communication student of MAPOLY,” the statement read.
“According to reports, she was abducted along Iperu road to her destination. The deceased left Abeokuta three days ago to visit a movie location at Ipara, Ode-Remo, with the consent of her parents.
“Contrary to the rumours flying around, her death is not related to her status as the new Miss MAPOLY. She won the award on the 3rd of August and the movie location she attended has nothing to do with the beauty pageantry on campus.”
The SUG also commiserated with the victim’s family, friends and colleagues, praying that God will grant them the fortitude to bear the painful loss.
The SUG further explained that the murderers took away the victim’s phone.
Meanwhile, the Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has condemned the murder of Odeh by men suspected to be kidnappers.
Abiodun in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Kunle Somorin, described the killing of the student as barbaric and wicked.
He said the student and the school beauty pageant winner was reportedly abducted along Iperu Remo road on her way to a movie location in Ipara-Remo last Tuesday.
However, her corpse, believed to have been dumped after she was allegedly killed by her abductors, was later discovered on Thursday.
The governor, who expressed his grief over the death of the student, said such an inhuman act will not be left unpunished.
Abiodun stated that his administration would not tolerate ungodly and criminal activities that would put the state in a bad light.
“Abiodun, who vowed that his administration would do everything within the law to ensure Odeh’s killers are brought to book, said he had given the police and other security agencies in the state marching order to fish out the perpetrators of the devilish act,” the statement read.
“While commiserating with the family of the late student, Gov. Abiodun assured her relatives that those responsible for the murder of the promising lady would be made to face the full wrath of the law.”
The governor also reiterated his administration’s commitment to providing adequate security for the lives and property of the residents of the state.
