Suspected armed robbers have killed the director of finance at the governor’s office Taiwo Oyekanmi.
A witness said the robbers waylaid the homemade bullion van conveying Oyekanmi shortly after he left a branch of Fidelity Bank in Abeokuta, the state capital.
According to the witness, the victim’s vehicle was ascending the overhead bridge in the Kuto area of the state before the gunmen shot at him and the other occupants of the van.
The witness further said the hoodlums used a sledgehammer to break the bullion van’s door and went away with the government’s money.
The Guardian gathered that the armed robbers shot the slain director in the thigh and private part which resulted in his death.
Reacting to the incident, Abiodun Alamutu, the commissioner of police in Ogun, said the government account officer went to the bank without a police escort.
He said an investigation has been launched into the case, noting that the police had started collecting CCTV footage at the bank shortly before the accountant was killed.
“This afternoon, the accountant, a director of finance with driver and one other person left for Fidelity bank to make some withdrawal, they went homemade bullion van,” the police commissioner said.
“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 until today.
“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, they brought out a sledgehammer to force the receptacle where the money was kept open and they left with the money.
“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 the CCTV footage which will give us insight into the vehicle in question and the 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.”
It was also gathered that has the late oyekanmi withdrew N97.335m from Fidelity Bank and N15m from Sterling Bank, both totaling N112.335m cash.
Meanwhile, Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun has commiserated with the family of Mr Taiwo Oyekanmi, the late Director of Finance and Accounts, in the office of the Governor, who was killed in cold blood by suspected armed robbers on Wednesday in Abeokuta, the state capital.
Oyekanmi was on official assignment within the metropolis when he met his untimely death in the hands of his assailants.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Lekan Adeniran.
Abiodun described the incident as a rude shock to him, as he called for prayers for the immediate family of the late director for them to have the necessary fortitude to bear the great loss.
“I was devastated and extremely shocked upon receiving the cold-blooded murder of Oyekanmi, in the hands of criminal elements and enemies of our State.
“It is indeed a collosal loss for our administration to have lost such dedicated, truthful, and diligent official; his assailants have murdered sleep and will be flushed out immediately from wherever they might be hiding.
Secretary to the State Government Mr. Tokunbo Talabi led a government delegation to the deceased house to commiserate with his family.
