A decomposing body of a dead man found around the Aper Aku Stadium of Makurdi township in Benue State has raised concern among residents.

Our correspondent reports that the corpse had been lying adjacent to the Benue State Police Officers’ Mess, very close to the Benue State Education Quality Assurance (BEQA) office.

Residents said the unknown young man’s body was discovered at the weekend and that no relevant had it not been evacuated from the area as of Tuesday morning.

Some residents declined comments from our correspondent.

But a government worker in the area who preferred anonymity said somebody told him that the dead man was dumped there on Friday night.

“I went to the spot with some neighbours and we saw the corpse. The man’s blood splashed on the wall of Aper Aku stadium’s fence. The body was burnt with hands tied. That was on Friday. On Sunday we started perceiving offensive odour and today is the worst! If the dead body is not taken away by tomorrow, nobody will sit here again because of bad odour,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for Benue command, CSP Catherine Anene, said the attention of the police division has been drawn to it and necessary actions are being taken.

Anene added that an intelligence gathered around the vicinity indicated that the corpse was that of a suspected thief who was overpowered by some people he came to rob.

She said the dead man was hit with an object while his accomplices escaped, according to an eyewitness account who saw the victims struggling with him.

The PPRO also said the manner of the deceased’s dressing suggested he was a suspected thief, adding that the relevant agency had been contacted for the evacuation of the corpse.