The decomposing body of a 23-year-old recruit into the Nigerian Army, Patience Amos Ya’u, has been found in the room of her boyfriend at Damilu, a community in Jimeta, Yola North Local Government Area of Adamawa State.

Patience was believed to have died following an alleged scuffle between her and her lover, Ali Muhammed Wakil, whose claim to being a military personnel was being doubted.

Although Patience might have died since January 12, it was not known until several days later when the stench from her decomposing body attracted neighbours.

Patience was newly recruited into the Army and her peers started training at the Military Training Depot in Zaria two days after her death.

The boyfriend also claimed to be a military personnel serving with 68 Reference Hospital, Yaba, Lagos.

Neighbours said they had heard the voices of Patience and Wakil in his room, but did not know that anything grievous was happening.

One of the neighbours told reporters:

“Residents became suspicious when we did not see the woman for three days. What worried us more was the terrible odour from their room.

“What compounded the situation was how the door of the room was locked from outside, a development that compelled people to forcefully open the window of the room, only to discover the body of the woman decomposing.”

The discovery of the body of Patience made the neighbours to report at the palace of the ward head, who took the matter to the police, who in turn traced the father to his house at Bachure, a community separated from Wakil’s Damilu by a major street.

The father, Amos Ya’u, said his daughter left his house to plait her hair but did not return.

He said they called her on the phone that evening, but she told them that she would return home.

He said they called her line later on Sunday, but it was not going, adding that since that day they heard nothing from her until four days later when a police officer informed him of her death.

Sources alleged that Wakil was a hard-hearted man, who went about his activities even as the body of his longtime girlfriend was in his room decaying.

He was said to have been seen near the home of the girlfriend’s father at Bachure a number of times.

Police spokesman Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Suleiman Nguroje confirmed the killing of Patience.

He said the suspect had been arrested and was being interrogated by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).