A neighborhood in Ogun State is mourning the loss of two lives following a tragic incident of domestic violence. Bidemi Odukoya, the pastor in charge of Iri Orun Parish of the Celestial Church of Christ, allegedly inflicted fatal injuries on his wife before dying by suicide.

The incident occurred in the early hours of Monday, August 31, at the couple’s residence in the Ogooluwa community of Akiode Ibogun, leaving neighbors, church members, and the couple’s three children devastated.

The fatal incident unfolded around 2 a.m. Daniel, the couple’s 14-year-old eldest son, was awoken by a commotion and alerted neighbors that his father was assaulting his mother.

When nearby residents arrived at the scene, they found that Mrs. Odukoya had sustained severe, fatal injuries. When confronted by neighbors, the pastor reportedly made a brief statement indicating he was giving up on his life before fleeing the residence.

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Odukoya left the community and reportedly traveled to the Coker Junction area along the Ifo corridor of the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway. According to reports from the area, he subsequently died by suicide along the highway.

Later that evening, following police documentation, the remains of both individuals were laid to rest, concluding a deeply distressing 24-hour sequence of events that has left the community stunned.

A History of Domestic Violence

While some community leaders described the couple as friendly during their nearly ten years in the neighborhood, close acquaintances revealed that the marriage was deeply strained by a history of domestic abuse.

Neighboring accounts indicated that domestic violence was a recurring issue in the household. A neighbor disclosed that the pair had stopped speaking to each other since June following a severe assault that had previously required police intervention.

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The couple had reportedly taken their marital disputes to court, where magistrates had urged them to explore a resolution before a scheduled hearing date on Wednesday, September 2.

Chief Taiwo Akiode, the traditional ruler of Akiode Ibogun, described the tragedy as an unprecedented shock for the area. He urged couples experiencing conflict or abuse to seek professional counseling, mediation, or safe separation to prevent situations from escalating into fatal violence.

Confirming the incident, the Deputy Police Public Relations Officer for Ogun State, ASP Opeyemi Oluborode, stated that the case file has been formally transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for a thorough inquiry into the exact circumstances surrounding the tragedy.