The decomposed remains of a 45-year-old pastor, Esere Okilo, have been discovered in his residence on Jacob Beredugo Street, Ekeki, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State after 15 months of being reported missing.

Okilo hailed from Nembe-Bassambiri and had been missing for about 15 months before his remains were discovered on Wednesday.

The discovery was made by one of his sisters, who visited the house due to accommodation issues.

She looked through a window and saw the skeleton of the pastor sitting on the toilet, wearing only a singlet.

The incident caused confusion in the area, as many residents claimed they were unaware of any foul odour coming from the apartment during the time Okilo was missing.

Groups of neighbours gathered on Thursday to discuss the revelation, describing Okilo as a devout man of God who kept mostly to himself.

Okilo lived in one of the two flats in the compound, while his elder brother and the brother’s wife occupied the other.

The siblings were reportedly not on speaking terms.

Neighbours disclosed that the toilet door where the remains were found was locked from the inside, adding to the mystery of the circumstances surrounding his death.

Although the pastor’s family had earlier expressed concerns about his whereabouts, some members believed he had embarked on one of his regular church pilgrimages.

Another neighbour disclosed that the operatives of the Ekeki Police Division who came to evacuate the skeleton arrested the elder brother on suspicion of covering up the death of the deceased.

A police source disclosed that some medical workers at the Federal Medical Centre in Yenagoa alleged that there were signs that formalin was sprinkled on the corpse to cover up the foul smell from the apartment.

“Medical staff at the Federal Medical Centre said there are signs that a substance like formalin was sprinkled on the corpse to stop the smell,” a source told PUNCH Online.

Attempts to reach the Bayelsa State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Musa Mohammed, for comments were unsuccessful, as he did not respond to calls. (The PUNCH: Text, Excluding Headline)