There was pandemonium in Ajilosun area of Ikere Road in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital on Sunday when passers-by found the body of an elderly woman in a waterway in the area.
Sources at the scene claimed that the body was discovered in the area at about 6 am when residents and commuters plying the route discovered the body.
The sources at the scene also claimed that dead body was allegedly dumped by a man they said had been arrested and taken away by the police.
A mob was said to have descended on the man suspected to have dumped the body but was said to have been rescued by the police who arrested him.
One of the residents, who craved anonymity, alleged that the unnamed suspect “was seen with the body in the river at about 6 am and he was accosted by people around.
“He was about to be lynched but the timely arrival of policemen.”
Another source said “the young man, believed to be in his early 20s was caught in the act in the river where he was said to have killed the woman and was given a chase by the people.
“He was running towards the left bank of the river and the people alongside policemen went after him before he was apprehended at the other end of the river.”
Some of the sources claimed that the elderly victim woman might have been a victim of ritual killing.
The body was retrieved by operatives of the Ekiti State Fire Service.
Reacting to the incident, the public relations officer of the Ekiti State Police command, Mr Caleb Ikechukwu, said he was yet to be briefed of the incident.