The family of Opeyemi Orunmbe, a 22-year-old undergraduate brutally murdered during a community festival in Aiyedayo, MopAmuro Local Government Area of Kogi State, is pleading for justice as the case unfolds.

Opeyemi, fondly known as Ope, had traveled from his hometown, Takete Ide, to attend the annual Egungun masquerade cultural festival in Aiyedayo, a neighbouring Amuro community. The peaceful visit tragically turned deadly on Sunday, May 26, when a fight broke out toward the end of the celebration.

What began as a minor dispute between spectators over the masquerade dancing schedule escalated violently. Amid the confusion, Opeyemi, preparing to return home, got caught in the fracas. According to eyewitnesses, after being knocked to the ground, he tried to get up but couldn’t. In a shocking act of aggression, the prime suspect, Seun Bonire, a palm wine tapper from Iyah Gbede, Ijumu LGA  allegedly shouted he would “do finishing” and fatally struck Opeyemi with a lethal weapon.

The death sent shockwaves through the community, prompting mourning and an outcry for justice. The Kogi State Police Command launched a manhunt and confirmed the arrest of three suspects, including two Egungun priests from Aiyedayo and Iyah Gbede, alongside the main suspect.

While two suspects have since been released on bail, Seun Bonire was formally arraigned on Friday, June 13, and remanded at a correctional facility. The case is currently under judicial review.

In a heartfelt statement, a family member said:

“It is about a month now that our son was murdered and the memory remains fresh in our minds. Nothing can assuage this calamity. All we ask is for the perpetrators to be brought to justice. Life is not cheap.”

Opeyemi's father, Mr. Godwin Orunmbe, a respected community leader, expressed appreciation for the community support during condolence visits from notable figures including the Iyah Gbede Traditional Council, Federal lawmaker Salman Idris (Kabba-Bunu-Ijumu Federal Constituency), and State Assembly Member Jacob Olawumi (MopAmuro).

“Our only hope for justice is in God and the government. The perpetrators must be brought to account if only to strengthen the sanctity of human life,” he said.

In response to the violence, MopAmuro Local Government Chairman Ademola Bello issued an executive order regulating public gatherings to prevent further breakdowns of law and order.

Police spokesperson William Ovye Aya has assured the public of a thorough and diligent prosecution, urging the community to remain calm as the case proceeds.

As the community continues to grieve, Opeyemi Orunmbe’s family remains steadfast in their call for justice, not just for their son but as a message that violence must never be normalized.