A Celestial Church of Christ pastor, Bidemi Odukoya, allegedly killed his wife during a domestic dispute in Akiode Ibogun, Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State, before later dying after reportedly running into a moving truck along the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway.
The incident occurred at about 2am on Monday, August 31, 2026, at the couple’s residence behind the Celestial Church of Christ, Iri Orun Parish, which Odukoya reportedly shepherded.
The couple, who had lived in the community for about nine or 10 years, were said by some residents to have been generally friendly and well regarded despite reports of marital disagreements.
According to the Baale of the community, Chief Taiwo Akiode, residents alerted him around 3am after informing the police that Odukoya had allegedly attacked his wife.
Akiode said he went to the couple’s residence and found the woman dead in a pool of blood. He said she appeared to have sustained a machete wound, while residents also reported that a wooden stool had been used to hit her.
The pastor was reportedly no longer at the scene when the community leader arrived.
Akiode said residents later received information that Odukoya had been seen around Coker Junction in Ifo, along the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway.
According to the community leader, witnesses at the location said Odukoya had crossed the expressway several times before sitting on the road divider. He reportedly later moved in front of an approaching truck and was killed instantly.
Other reports said he died in a vehicle-pedestrian crash while attempting to flee the area. The police are investigating the circumstances surrounding his death.
The motive for the alleged killing was linked by some residents to accusations of infidelity.
The community youth leader, Seun Adelana, said residents gathered that Odukoya had accused his wife of having an affair with another man, while there were also allegations that the pastor was involved with another woman.
Adelana said the alleged accusations were believed to have triggered the argument that escalated into the fatal attack.
However, a neighbour, Mrs Oluwatoyin Oseni, said the couple had a history of domestic disputes and that some of their quarrels had previously required outside intervention.
Oseni said she had recently helped care for the woman following one of the couple’s alleged fights. She also claimed that the couple had not been speaking to each other since June because of their marital disagreements.
According to Oseni, the couple’s 14-year-old son, Daniel, woke her around 2am after discovering that his father had attacked his mother.
She said she and another neighbour rushed to the couple’s residence, where they found the woman lying dead on the floor.
Oseni alleged that Odukoya was holding a cutlass when they arrived and told her that he was also “as good as gone.”
She said the pastor later went inside the house, but the neighbours did not know that he had left the community and headed towards Ifo.
Oseni said she had repeatedly advised the deceased woman to seek peace in the marriage, adding that the woman had been concerned about leaving her children, including her seven-year-old last child.
The Asiwaju of Ibogun Akiode, Chief Oluwasegun Adeboye, said residents only became aware of the extent of the couple’s marital problems after the incident.
Adeboye claimed that the couple had previously taken their disagreement to court and were advised to return home and attempt to resolve their differences.
He said they were reportedly expected to return to court on Wednesday, but the tragedy occurred on Monday.
The couple’s deaths shocked residents who said they had not expected the disagreement to end violently.
Akiode said the community had never experienced a similar incident and described the deaths as a major shock to residents.
He said the couple had generally been perceived as peaceful and respectful people during their years in the community.
The community leader said the incident should encourage couples experiencing serious marital difficulties to seek counselling or other forms of assistance before their disagreements escalate.
Both husband and wife were buried beside their home on Monday.
The wife was reportedly buried around 5pm, while Odukoya’s remains were returned to the community later in the evening and buried after 7pm.
The Ogun State Police Command confirmed that it was investigating the incident.
The Deputy Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Opeyemi Oluborode, said the case file was being transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation.
“The command is very much aware of the case. The case file is currently being transferred to the SCID for diligent investigation into knowing the actual facts surrounding the sad incidents,” Oluborode said.
The police investigation is expected to establish the circumstances surrounding the woman’s death and the events that led to Odukoya’s death on the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway.
