Nigerian PhD Student, Obasanjo Murdered in Cyprus, Found in His Car Boot

Matilda Omonaiye/                                                                                                  

The odour from a car near a school in north Nicosia, Cyprus has led to the discovery of the body of a 33-year-old Nigerian student Obasanjo Adeola Owoyale in the trunk.

Omoyale, who had been declared missing on July 1, was described as a PhD holder in architecture. He graduated from Cyprus International University.

He had first Studied Architecture at the Federal University of Technology Yola and also attended Covenant Christian Academy.

His body was discovered wrapped in a blanket, reported KNews.

It was not clear whether the Nigerian had a familial connection with Nigeria’s former leader, Olusegun Obasanjo. On his Facebook profile, he wrote that he hailed from Ilorin, Kwara State.

According to Turkish Cypriot media, concerned citizens noticed a foul smell in broad daylight coming from a parked vehicle near a school in north Nicosia on Monday. Police were notified and immediately sealed off the area before inspecting the vehicle.

Based on preliminary findings, Obasanjo was believed to have been killed elsewhere, then wrapped in a blanket and placed in the trunk of the vehicle. Someone then drove the car and disposed of the body by abandoning the vehicle with the dead body inside.

Obasanjo Adeola Owoyale, left, with another classmate in Nicosia during his graduation

Reports said police were examining security camera footage in the area to see whether a suspect who left the car might have been captured on video.

(watch the video of how police towed away the car:

Additional reports said the car was registered to the victim, while the Turkish Cypriot licence plate was seen clearly in video footage recorded by media as well as local residents.

On Obasanjo Owoyale’s Facebook wall, some of his friends and mates in both Cyprus and Yola expressed sadness that he was killed so young. One person even disclosed that his ‘professor dad’, died a few months ago.

“Arc Obasanjo Adeola Owoyale was declared missing on the 1st of July, 2019 and later found dead on 8th of July. Since we left the university, I have not had any contact with him until 2017 when he requested my number through Facebook messenger. It was sad to know that he was assassinated in Cyprus. May his soul rest in peace”, wrote Jerry D. Ishaya, one of Obasanjo’s mates, who lives in Kaduna.

“May his gentle soul rest in peace”, wrote another person identified as Samuel Bala Jatau.

Obasanjo Owoyale’s death was not the first in the area, as KNEWS reported.

In May, in Nicosia south, a Cameroonian bled to death y following a violent altercation, with Greek Cypriot police attributing his death to a possible turf war.

The 28-year-old male Cameroonian had been chased and attacked with a glass bottle, while a Nigerian suspect had been captured on security camera footage and later prosecuted.

0