Gunmen kill Ogun govt’s finance director, Taiwo Oyekanmi

Yet-to-be-identified gunmen suspected to be robbers, on Wednesday, waylaid the Director of Finance and Accounts attached to the Ogun State Governor’s Office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, Mr. Taiwo Oyekanmi. Pageone gathered that they shot him dead at Business District (ACBD), Okeilewo, where he had gone to make withdrawals ahead of the November 30 budget presentation by Governor Dapo Abiodun.

Pageone further gathered he was rushed to the State Hospital, Ijaye, Abeokuta, where doctors pronounced him dead. Two top civil servants at the Governor’s Office in Abeokuta, who spoke with newsmen on condition of anonymity, said the incident had thrown the state secretariat into mourning. Confirming the incident, Police Commissioner Mr.

Abiodun Alamutu, said police were on the trail of the hoodlums. He said: “This afternoon, the accountant, the director of finance with driver and one other person left for a commercial bank to make some withdrawals. 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. Consequently, he was not part of the movement. “After making the withdrawal, and on their way back to the office, they were accosted.

A vehicle blocked them on top of the NNPC 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. “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 Conference Hotel where he lost contact with them.

“The director that was shot was thereafter taken to the State Hospital, Ijaye, Abeokuta, where he eventually died. “I have directed the Area Commander to get in touch with the bank and request for the CCTV footage, which will give us insight into the vehicle in question and possibly identify 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 the exits out of the state, while we are trying to identify them because they said they were five and they used hood.

” Governor Dapo Abiodun has commiserated with the family of Mr Oyekanmi In a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Lekan Adeniran, Abiodun described the incident as a rude shock to him. He called for prayers for the immediate family of the late director, saying God should give them the fortitude to bear the great loss. “I was devastated and extremely shocked upon receiving the news of the cold-blooded murder of Oyekanmi, in the hands of criminalsand 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 to 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 colleagues and the government he meritoriously served till death,” the statement said. Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr.

Tokunbo Talabi, yesterday evening led a government delegation to the deceased house to commiserate with his family. .