27-Year-Old Identical Twin Murdered In Edo

A 27 year-old identical twin, Hope Iyekoretin, has been dastardly shot dead by gunmen in Benin City.

Hope, a Dubai-based holidaymaker was murdered about 7:22 PM at her family residence on 9, Oloton Street, Opposite Oba Market in the State capital, last Monday.

Our correspondent’s visit today revealed a scene of horror as devastated neighbours and sympathisers including some individuals who claimed to have witnessed the sad incident.

The eyewitnesses told our correspondent that the deceased, Hope had opened the door of the apartment to attend to who was knocking on the iron protector preventing unhindered access to the building when one of the three gunmen in native attire shot her point blank after a brief conversation.

“I was inside that POS kiosk facing this house. I first saw them walked passed, about 30 minutes after, one of them approached me asking whether Mike Musa’s wife, Courage was in the house, I told them that I don’t leave there, and they could go and knock.

“One of them stayed with me while the other two went to knock. Suddenly, madam Courage twin sister Hope opened the main door but didn’t open the iron protector. I heard her telling them that she is Courage Joseph’s twin sister and Mike Musa Joseph’s sister-in-law. At that time the one standing with me walked towards his colleagues, then I heard a gunfire.

“Instantly, I laid on the ground beside my kiosk, few minutes later I heard a scream for help from Mama. The men were nowhere to be seen. Their appearance and intonation are of Northern extraction”, a POS operator narrated.

Another eyewitness, Uyiosa Godwin said he thought the trio were from Hausa quarters in nearby Lagos street judging by their appearance. He expressed suspicion that the gunmen were Hausa/Fulani natives.

The deceased, Hope and her twin sister Courage were known for their close bond and vibrant personalities.

Detailing her ordeals, traumatised mother of the victim said Hope was mistaken for her sister Courage who has joined her husband, Mike Musa Joseph abroad after surviving multiple assassination attempts on their lives.

She narrated that her daughter’s family had not known peace since her husband Mike Musa Joseph escaped from the bandits who kidnapped him and other train passengers on Abuja-Kaduna axis in 2022.

“The gunmen have killed other innocent members and friends of both families including Mike Musa’s mother who they murdered in Benin. I thought we were safe here, my daughter Hope lives in Dubai, she is here on her vacation, they should have killed me instead”, she wept.

Confirming the murder, the spokesman for police in Edo SP Chidi Nwabuzor said investigation into the killing has commenced as officers of the homicide unit in the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) had visited the scene.

SP Nwabuzor said the body of the deceased had been deposited in a mortuary in Benin City.