By Abiodun Lawal
Suspected armed robbers on Wednesday in Abeokuta shot dead an accountant of the Ogun State Government, Mr Taiwo Oyekanmi, and escaped with the money he just withdrew from the bank.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Oyekanmi, who was the Director of Finance and Accounts at the Governor’s Office, had picked up an undisclosed amount of money.
After leaving the bank, a branch of Fidelity Bank in Abeokuta, and was heading back to the office, he was stopped by the gunmen.
NAN gathered that the gunmen, about five, shot the accountant dead under the Kuto bridge and made away with the money in his possession.
It was gathered that Oyekanmi and other assistants who sustained gunshot injuries during the attack were then rushed to the State General Hospital at Ijaiye, where the accountant later died.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Abiodun Alamutu, said the accountant was with a driver and one other person and they were with a home-made 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.
“According to the report, 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 near Conference Hotel where he lost contact with them,” he said.
Alamutu said further that he had directed the Area Commander to get to the bank and request for the CCTV footage which would give the police an insight into the vehicle in question.
“There is a possibility of identifying the culprits if they ever ventured to step out of the vehicle or may be 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,” he said.
NAN reports that the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Tokunbo Talabi, has already visited the late accountant’s residence to commiserate with the family.
(NAN)
