30th November, 2023
By Adejoke Adeleye
Suspected Armed robbers have reportedly shot dead the Director of Finance and Accounts in the office of the governor, Mr Taiwo Oyekanmi.
It was learnt that Oyekanmi was shot dead on the flyover bridge by the NNPC Junction along the IBB Boulevard in the Oke – Mosan axis of Abeokuta metropolis while returning from the bank where he had gone to make withdrawals in preparation for Thursday’s budget presentation by the state governor, Abiodun.
Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alamutu confirmed the development, saying that the armed men double-crossed the vehicle of the deceased with five occupants of the vehicle raining bullets on the DFA which resulted in his death.
According to him, “This afternoon, the accountant, the director of finance with a driver and one other person left for bank to make some withdrawal, they went with a 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 today.”
Alamutu said according to the story, after making the withdrawal and on their way back to the office, they were accosted.
He said a vehicle blocked them on top of the bridge and that the five occupants of the vehicle came down, while they shot at the director from their vehicle and brought out a sledgehammer 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 the conference hotel where he lost contact with them,” he explained.
He said the director who 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 hoods,” he added.
Meanwhile, the governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun who received the news of his account’s director with shock, commiserated and called for prayer for the family.
According to the governor in a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government in a release made available to newsmen by the Chief Press Secretary, Lekan Adeniran he described the incident as a rude shock and prayed for the immediate family of the late director to have the necessary fortitude to bear the great loss
“I was devastated and extremely shocked upon receiving news of the cold-blooded murder of Oyekanmi, in the hands of criminal elements and enemies of our State.
“It is indeed a colossal loss for our administration to have lost such a dedicated, truthful, and diligent official; his assailants have murdered sleep and will be flushed out immediately from wherever they might be hiding.
“I have directed all security agencies in the State to smoke the criminals out instantly and make them face the full wrath of the law. I, therefore, want to assure the entire workforce and residents in the state that never will such calamity befall our dear state again.
“I pray for the repose of his soul and for God’s protection over the family he left behind. Obviously, he is going to be sorely missed by his relatives, colleagues and the government he meritoriously served till death,” the statement read.