14th February, 2012
At least six cattle dealers were yesterday killed by armed robbers after dispossessing them of their valuables and a sum of N10 million along Igboora/Sokoto road between Ogun and Oyo states border.
The incident occurred yesterday morning when the cattle dealers from Ogun State, were on their way to Ilorin, the Kwara state capital for their business.
An eyewitness told our correspondent that the victims were travelling from Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital, in three vehicles to buy cattle before they were attacked by robbers.
It was further gathered that the armed robbers ambushed the cattle dealers as their drivers applied break at a bad portion of the road, dispossessing them of their valuables and over N10 million.
One of the victims who was identified as Wasiu Elewure, aged 39 years, was said to have been shot in the head and he died on the spot and was buried yesterday, according to the Islamic rites.
Our correspondent gathered that the other five cattle dealers who sustained serious injuries were rushed to an undisclosed hospital but they later died.
Elewure, according to a relative, left his Sabo residence in Abeokuta with about N2 million, for the business trip.
Confirming the incident, the Chairman of Association of Nigeria Butchers, Ogun State, branch, Mr. Ambali Adetona, expressed concern over the incessant attacks on their members on the road.
He said the association has given the state government a 7-day ultimatum to provide adequate security in the area.
The association further threatened that failure of the government to grant its request would lead to total shut down of all abattoirs across the state.
Attempt by our correspondent to get the police to react to the incident proved abortive as the State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Muyiwa Adejobi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, could not be reached on his phone and did not respond to the text message sent to his mobile phone.
—Abiodun Onafuye/ Abeokuta