Suspected armed robbers have shot dead, the Director of Finance and Accounts, attached to the Ogun State Governor’s office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, Mr. Taiwo Oyekanmi, and escaped with the money he had just withdrawn from the bank.
According to reports, Mr. Oyekanmi had on Wednesday, November 29, 2023, picked up an undisclosed amount of money, at a branch of Fidelity Bank in Abeokuta.
He was stopped by the gunmen who were about five in number while heading back to the office at the Kuto bridge. The assailants then opened fire on him and others, then escaped with the huge sum of money
It was gathered that Mr 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 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 near the Conference Hotel where he lost contact with them,” he said.
Mr 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 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 said.
The secretary to the state government, Tokunbo Talabi, has already visited the late accountant’s residence to commiserate with the family.
Meanwhile, the governor of the state, Dapo Abiodun has said that the cold-blooded murder of Mr. Taiwo Oyekanmi, Director of Finance and Accounts, has left him devastated and deeply saddened.
Abiodun, in his statement, said: “The loss of Mr. Oyekanmi is undoubtedly a tremendous blow to our administration. He was a dedicated, honest, and diligent official, and his untimely demise has caused great sorrow amongst his colleagues and the government as a whole. We are determined to bring his murderers to justice swiftly and ensure that they face the full consequences of their actions.
“In light of this horrific incident, I want to assure our entire workforce and the residents of our state that we are fully committed to preventing any such calamity from befalling our beloved state again. I have been in contact with all security agencies, directing them to immediately locate and apprehend the criminals responsible.
“As we mourn the loss of Mr. Oyekanmi, I offer my prayers for the repose of his soul and extend my support to his grieving family. May God grant them strength during this difficult time. Mr. Oyekanmi’s absence will undoubtedly be deeply felt, both in the government and amongst his colleagues.
“Please rest assured that we are taking the necessary steps to address this grave issue and ensure the safety and well-being of our state’s residents. Together, we will overcome this tragedy and continue to strive for a better future.”
