James Sowole in Abeokuta
Armed robbers yesterday reportedly shot dead one Mr. Taiwo Oyekanmi, a Director of Finance and Accounts attached to the Ogun State Governor’s office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
Oyekanmi was said to have been gunned down on top of NNPC Bridge, while coming from bank where he had gone to make withdrawals in preparation for today (Thursday) budget presentation by the governor.
He was said to have been rushed to the State Hospital, Ijaye, Abeokuta where he was pronounced dead.
Two top civil servants at the Governor’s Office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta who spoke under the condition of anonymity, confirmed the incident, saying that the incident threw the secretariat into mourning mood
The Commissioner of Police for Ogun State Command, Mr Abiodun Alamutu, confirmed the incident.
He said: “This afternoon, the accountant, the director of finance with driver and one other person left for the bank to make some withdrawal, they went with an homemade bullion van.
“They were supposed to have a police escort, but for certain reasons, the person was permitted to travel to attend to some issues, so consequently he was not part of the movement to today.”
“According to the story, after making the withdrawal, and on their way back to the office, they were accosted. A vehicle blocked them on top of the bridge, five occupants of the vehicle came down, shot at the director and from their vehicle brought out a sledge hammer to force the receptacle where the money was kept open and they left with the money.
“As at that time there was no information, the police escort was not with the team and they sped off.
The driver claimed to have trailed them to a point along conference hotel where he lost contact with them.
“The director that was shot was thereafter taken to Ijaye hospital where he eventually gave up the ghost.
“For our investigation, I have directed the area commander to get to the bank and request for the CCTV footage which will give us insight into the vehicle in question and possibility of identifying the culprits if they ever ventured to step out of the vehicle or maybe they just maintained their position in the vehicle.
“I have reached out to Lagos and everywhere in the command to block all the exits out of the state while we are trying to identify them because they said they were five and they used hood.”
