Tension has taken over the town of Ore and surrounding communities in Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State following the discovery of three headless bodies floating in a river along the Odigbo-Ore Old Road.
Residents were left terrified on Wednesday when the decomposing corpses were found drifting in the river, with some lodged against the riverbanks. The bodies were reportedly headless, a sign that the victims may have been brutally murdered before being dumped in the water.
Eyewitnesses and local leaders suspect the victims may have fallen into the hands of kidnappers or ritual killers, raising concerns about the safety of residents in the region.
Speaking on the incident, a former youth leader of the area who identified himself simply as *Shileola* described the discovery as horrifying and deeply disturbing. He was among the first set of community members to rush to the river after hearing the news.
“I was shocked when I first heard about it over the phone,” he told reporters. “I rushed to the scene, hoping to identify the victims through their clothing or anything else, but all efforts proved abortive.”
He added that there had been no recent reports of missing persons in the community, leading to the belief that the victims were likely killed elsewhere and dumped in the river to hide the crime.
“This is not just disturbing—it is terrifying. We don’t know who did this or why. It is not something we have seen before in this area,” he said.
Shileola urged residents to be vigilant and security-conscious, warning that the situation suggests that dangerous criminal elements could be operating in or around the area.
Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for Ondo State, SP Ayanlade Olushola Olayinka, said that the case was reported to the Ore Police Division and that officers immediately moved to the location to recover the bodies.
“I can confirm to you that three bodies were recovered from the river in Odigbo,” Olayinka said. “The DPO of the Ore Division sent detectives to the scene, and the bodies were recovered and moved to the General Hospital morgue.”
He added that community leaders and other relevant groups had been summoned in a bid to identify the victims, but so far, no one has come forward.
“So far, we have not been able to identify any of the bodies. This has led us to believe that the victims may not be from Ondo State,” he continued. “The area where the bodies were found borders other states like Ogun and Edo, so it is possible the victims were murdered elsewhere and brought here to dispose of the bodies.”
The police spokesman assured the public that investigations were ongoing and promised that more information would be made available as facts emerge.
The gruesome nature of the discovery has sparked fear and concern among residents, many of whom now fear for their safety. The fact that the victims were decapitated has led to suspicions that the killings may be related to ritual practices or gang-related violence.
“I haven’t been able to sleep since I heard the news,” said a local shop owner who asked to remain anonymous. “We used to think things like this only happened in movies or faraway places. Now it’s at our doorstep.”
Several residents are now calling for increased police patrols, better security presence in the area, and immediate investigations to identify the criminals responsible.
Community leaders are also appealing to neighbouring states to support the investigation, considering that the river where the bodies were found flows through multiple regions.
The Odigbo-Ore area, where the incident occurred, lies at a critical point where Ondo State borders both Ogun and Edo States. Security experts say this makes it a possible dumping ground for criminals who commit violent acts elsewhere and attempt to evade detection by disposing of evidence across state lines.
“This type of case is difficult because the location of the crime and the location of the body may be different,” said a security analyst who requested anonymity. “The river systems in this region are interconnected, so it is possible that the bodies were carried from another area entirely.”
Police have not ruled out the involvement of criminal gangs or cross-border criminal activities, and there are concerns that the river is being used as a route for both smuggling and criminal operations.
Nigeria has faced increasing cases of ritual killings and violent crimes in recent years. In many parts of the country, criminal groups are known to kidnap, kill, or mutilate victims for purposes tied to superstitious beliefs, money rituals, or secret cults.
The discovery of headless bodies often points to ritual-related violence, which continues to be a major concern for security agencies across the country.
Ondo State, while relatively peaceful in comparison to some other parts of Nigeria, has not been immune to rising crime rates, especially around its border towns where criminal elements take advantage of weak surveillance and limited security infrastructure.
The state government has on several occasions called for collaboration between federal security agencies and local vigilante groups to curb insecurity.
The Ondo State Police Command has urged anyone with useful information about the incident or the possible identity of the victims to come forward. Authorities have also called on residents in the region to report suspicious movements or activities in their communities.
Meanwhile, the state government is expected to step in, especially if the killings were found to be linked to ritual practices or organized criminal activities.
“This is not just a local crime—it could be part of a much bigger network,” a retired police officer from the area said. “We need cooperation from neighbouring states, traditional rulers, and security agencies to get to the root of this matter.”
As investigations continue, the people of Ore and Odigbo remain on edge. Community members are holding meetings to discuss how to improve security and protect themselves from further danger.
For now, the three unidentified victims remain in the mortuary, waiting to be named, while a community prays that the mystery of their deaths will soon be solved—and justice served.
