Mystery Deepens in Ikoyi Murder as Police Declare Two Men Wanted Over Missing Dubai Returnee

Mystery Deepens in Ikoyi Murder as Police Declare Two Men Wanted Over Missing Dubai Returnee

The Lagos State Police Command has intensified its manhunt for two men declared wanted in connection with the alleged murder and mysterious disappearance of a 26‑year‑old woman in the Ikoyi area of Lagos. The suspects, identified as Ajibola Obateru, 33, and Folawiyo Balogun Alagbado, 32, are accused of conspiring with others to attack the victim, kill her, and dispose of her body at an unknown location. Both men reportedly have their last known addresses in Ibadan, Oyo State. The case has drawn significant public attention, not only because of the gruesome nature of the allegations but also because the victim’s body has not been recovered, leaving her family in a state of agonising uncertainty.

The victim has been identified as Chukwunyere Esther Chinaza, an Imo State indigene who reportedly returned to Nigeria from Dubai in June 2026. According to police reports, Chinaza arrived in Lagos on June 18 with a male friend based in South Africa. She was last seen on June 22, 2026, around the Shoreline area of Banana Island, Ikoyi, one of Lagos’s most exclusive residential neighbourhoods. A police bulletin described Chinaza as an Igbo woman with a fair complexion and tall‑to‑average height, with her last known address listed as Horizon Estate, Ikate, Lagos. Her family has been unable to establish whether she is alive or dead, and her body has not been recovered, deepening the mystery surrounding her disappearance. Speaking to SaharaReporters, one of Chinaza’s brothers expressed the family’s distress and frustration with the pace of the investigation, recounting that his sister was lured from Dubai to Lagos on June 18 and went missing from June 21, and that they have not seen her or her body. He further expressed dissatisfaction with the investigation, stating that they are not relying on the police investigation as nothing has been done, with no arrests made regarding the two suspects.

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The declaration was formalised in separate Special Police Gazette Bulletins issued under the authority of the Inspector‑General of Police. The bulletins, referenced Force Directive C.I.D. No. 48, were disseminated through the Office of the Commissioner of Police, State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti‑Yaba. According to the police, the suspects allegedly conspired with others to attack Chinaza, killed her, and made away with her body and personal belongings. The police have not publicly disclosed how she was allegedly killed or where her body was taken, leaving many questions unanswered. Another suspect, identified only as Hakeem, is reportedly already in police custody at the SCID, Panti, in connection with the same case. The allegations against the two men remain subject to investigation and have not been established in court, but the police are treating the case with urgency as they work to locate the suspects and piece together the events leading to Chinaza’s disappearance.

The police have provided detailed physical descriptions of the two wanted men to assist members of the public in identifying them. Ajibola Obateru, 33, is described as a Yoruba male, approximately 5.9 feet tall, thinly built, with a fair complexion. He has an oval face, a long nose, a small mouth with thin lips, black eyes, and a pointed chin. The bulletin also notes he has thick black hair, a high head and forehead, and “appears gentle” in his habits and mannerisms. His last known address is Ajoda New Town, Ibadan, Oyo State. Folawiyo Balogun Alagbado, 32, is also a Yoruba male described as being of average height with a dark complexion. He has an oval face, a wide nose, a long and wide mouth with medium lips, and a round chin. His last known address is also listed as Ajoda New Town, Ibadan, Oyo State. These detailed descriptions are intended to help the public identify the suspects and report their whereabouts to the authorities.

The Lagos State Police Command has urged members of the public with any information on the whereabouts of either suspect to report immediately to the nearest police station or contact the Office of the Commissioner of Police, SCID, Musiliu Smith Street, Panti‑Yaba, Lagos. A dedicated contact number, 08038843816, has also been provided for information that could assist in locating the men. The police have advised the public not to confront or attempt to apprehend the suspects themselves but to alert the authorities upon spotting them, as the suspects are considered potentially dangerous. The case has drawn attention to concerns about violent crime in Lagos, particularly in upscale areas like Ikoyi and Banana Island, often perceived as safe havens. For the family of Esther Chinaza, the wait for answers continues as the manhunt for Alagbado and Obateru intensifies, and they remain hopeful that the police will soon bring the perpetrators to justice and provide them with closure.

Mystery Deepens in Ikoyi Murder as Police Declare Two Men Wanted Over Missing Dubai Returnee