Police operatives in Edo State have arrested 31-year-old Joshua Osaigbovo for the murder of his 21-year-old girlfriend, Osato Festus Edogiaweria. Osaigbovo reportedly confessed to the crime, admitting to burying the deceased in a shallow grave not far from his residence. The state police spokesperson, Moses Yamu, confirmed the arrest and the details of the confession.

The investigation into Osato Festus Edogiaweria's disappearance began when her mother, Mrs. Ojo, filed a missing person report at the Aduwawa Division on April 25, 2025. According to the mother, her daughter had left home on April 20, 2025, with a friend and had not been heard from since. The case was subsequently transferred to the State Criminal Investigations Department for further action, handled by operatives of the Family Unit.

Through painstaking investigation and technical intelligence, Joshua Osaigbovo was apprehended on June 18, 2025, in the Iyanomon community of Ikpoba-Okha local government area. During interrogation, Osaigbovo confessed to inviting Osato to his residence on April 27, 2025. An altercation ensued between the couple, during which Osato reportedly fell, hit her head on the ground, and died. Following her death, Osaigbovo admitted to taking the young woman's body in a wheelbarrow to a nearby bush, where he buried her in a shallow grave a few meters from his home.

On June 20, 2025, Osaigbovo led police operatives to the burial site in the Iyanomon community. The remains of Osato Festus Edogiaweria were exhumed, adhering to all necessary procedures. The suspect is expected to face charges in court as soon as the investigations are concluded, as stated by the police spokesperson, Moses Yamu.

This tragic incident is not isolated, with similar cases of concealed deaths reported recently. In one instance, the manager of Century Home Hotel Iboirode confessed to killing and burying 22-year-old Point-of-Sale operator Onoriode Bethel in Owehlogbo, Isoko North local government area of Delta State. Additionally, in Anambra State, police arrested two relatives who allegedly killed a family member after he was caught stealing, burying the deceased in a shallow grave in the Oko community, Orumba North local government area, to cover up their crime. These incidents highlight a disturbing pattern of individuals resorting to burial to conceal their illicit acts.