Who and what killed Idowu Shukurat Yetunde, a 2014 batch B corps member deployed in Kwara State by the National Youth Service Corps?

Her sudden death was eerie and suspect, the circumstance Police and other security agencies were yet to unravel.

On the fateful Saturday May 23, Yetunde left her rented apartment at Tanke/University road to procure some items at popular Ilorin Shopping Mall, Shoprite. She was hale and hearty but certainly oblivious that she was heading to a point of no return. That outing terminated her life.

Findings showed that the slain Ogun-born corps member successfully bought the items at Shoprite unknown to her that the death was lurking around. Her last point of call was still shrouded in mystery.

However, unconfirmed report has it that the deceased was offered a free ride by some unidentified guys after shopping at the mall and was conveyed to an unknown destination.

When her where about proved unknown, her colleagues were said to have made several calls to her cellphone, which was switched off.

It could not be immediately ascertained the circumstance surrounding her death, her lifeless body that was later found around GRA, Ilorin on Sunday night with broken skull and bruises on her death according to a search party.

The development fueled suspicion that the deceased with state code KW/14B/2640 might have been killed.

Yetunde, a native of Aiyetoro in Ogun State, was a graduate of Management Studies, Mashood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY), Abeokuta. Sadly, her mysterious death came barely few weeks to her completion of one year mandatory service of National assignment.

The death, no doubt, must have brought a tale of sorrow and perforated big hole in the heart of her mother and family members who might have been counting her remaining days on National assignment. She reportedly lost her father recently.

Prior to the incident, the deceased was undergoing her primary assignment at Kwara State Broadcasting Corporation (Radio Kwara), Ilorin.

Her corpse, which was initially kept in the morgue for possible autopsy was released following a demand by the bereaved that as a muslim and in line with Islamic rites, it would be improper to keep her body perpetually in the mortuary.

However, the spokesman of the state Police Command, Mr. Okasanmi Ajayi, who confirmed Yetunde's mysterious death, said "We are still investigating, we cannot conclusively say it is a case of abduction or ritual killing because no part of the body was missing. It could be a case of a hit and run careless driver or an accident outrightly.

"I can’t confirm that she was raped because all the examinations conducted on her does not show any sign of rape and we are still investigating but I cannot say exactly what happened.

Asked whether she was given a lift, he said, "All these are guess works, Nobody has volunteered any statement to us, if anybody has any information, maybe they should get to us.

"As far as we are concerned, it was a reported case of "found dead" with a broken skull and bruises. For now I can’t tell you whether it was a case of whether rape, abduction or kidnapping", he said.

Following the circumstance surrounding her death, National headquarters of the NYSC in Abuja on the instruction of Director General, Brigadier Johnson Olawumi, instituted a fact finding delegation to meet with relevant authorities in Ilorin with a view to hastening the ongoing investigation into Yetunde's death.

The delegation led by Director, Corps Welfare and Inspectorate, Michael Ahile, said the scheme attaches value to the life of corps members in the country and would not tolerate mindless killing of any of them.

Ahile, who spoke to newsmen in Ilorin shortly after his team to the state Director of Department of Security Service, Commissioner of Police and the Emir of Ilorin, sought collaboration of relevant agencies to ensuring that masterminds of the murder do not scot free.

While condemning the death of the corps member, the NYSC boss told serving corps members in the state to shun lone movement at night.

Ahile expressed the hope that with the assurance coming from the SSS, the culprits would be brought to justice soon.

"The NYSC management received the news of the death of Miss Yetunde Idowu with heavy heart, particularly the circumstance surrounding her death. So the Director General of the NYSC delegated us to come down to come to Kwara State to discuss with the security agencies and the traditional institutions here, to unravel the circumstances surrounding the death of the corps member.

"The NYSC places importance on the welfare of corps members and when this kind of thing happened, particularly when it borders on death, the NYSC does not take it lying down, and that is why we are here in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital to see all the security agencies and the traditional institutions so that they will use their good offices to unravel the circumstances surrounding the death of corps member.

"As you know, corps members are on National assignment, and it is the responsibility of all of us to protect them, particularly the security agencies and the traditional institutions and the host communities.

"We want to condemn in very strong terms the death of this corps member, and we call on the security agencies to unravel the circumstances surrounding the death and the people behind this death. The NYSC will not tolerate the mindless killing of corps members on National assignment, and we call on all the security agencies and the traditional institutions in this State to do everything possible to find out who killed this corps member.

"The security agencies; the Military, the Police, the Department of State Service and the traditional institutions have specific roles to play concerning the security of corps members, and that is why we specifically came to them to register our displeasure, and to request them to do everything within their powers to find out the circumstances surrounding this death and particularly to bring the culprits to book.

"We discussed with the Director of the State Security Service in Kwara State for a long time, and we gave him a brief history of what happened when the corps member left the house on Saturday 23rd of May, to go to Shoprite and never came back. And the friends of the corps member started calling and searching for her, only to discover her body the next day, as was informed by the Police that they discovered her body at somewhere in the GRA and that they took the body to the mortuary.

"And so the Director of State Security Service assured us that he would do everything professionally possible to find out exactly what happened, and particularly to bring the culprits to book", the NYSC Director said.

Receiving the NYSC delegation in his palace, the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari, described the incident as unfortunate, saying "we have not experienced this kind of brutal killing".

The monarch, who spoke through the Magaji Are of Ilorin, Alhaji Aremu Zubair, promised to follow up the NYSC request to the state Governor, just as he sympathized with the scheme over circumstance surrounding the corps member's death.

"It is unfortunate it (corps member's death) happened in Ilorin. We have neither recorded nor experienced this kind of brutal killing. We sincerely sympathize with the management of NYSC, and we want to assure you that such sad incidence would not recur again. I can also assure that the Emir will follow up your request. He will take it to the Governor for proper action", the traditional chief assured.