Armed robbers on Wednesday shot dead an accountant of the Ogun State Government, Taiwo Oyekanmi, in Abeokuta, the state capital, carting away government’s funds running to some millions of Naira.
It was gathered that Oyekanmi, who until his death was the Director of Finance at the Governor’s office, Oke-Mosan, had picked up an undisclosed amount of money from a branch of Fidelity bank in Abeokuta, and was on his way back to the office when some hooded gunmen waylaid him.
According to sources, the hooded gunmen numbering about five, intercepted the home-made bullion van conveying the finance director while ascending the overhead bridge at Kuto, where they opened fire on the accountant.
It was further gathered that the armed robbers wielding sledge hammer, broke the bullion van door and went away with the government money.
The finance director and other aides who sustained gunshot injuries during the attacks were said to have been rushed to the State General Hospital, Ijaye, where the accountant later died.
It was however learnt that a police escort attached to the accountant was not part of the team as he had earlier taken a permission to attend to family matters.
Secretary to the State Government, Tokunbo Talabi, it was learnt, had already visited the late accountant’s residence to commiserate with the family.
State Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alamutu, confirmed the incident.
He said, “This afternoon, the accountant, the Director of Finance with driver and one other person left for Fidelity bank to make some withdrawal, they went with 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 to today.
“According to the story, 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 sledge hammer 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 conference hotel where he lost contact with them.
“The director that was shut was thereafter taken to Ijaye hospital where he eventually gave up the ghost.”
Alamutu said he had demanded for the CCTV footage from the bank to aid the police’s investigation.
“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 hood.”
