BREAKING: Tension as gunmen kill Govt Accountant cart away with millions in Ogun

Daring armed robbers shot an Ogun State Government accountant, Taiwo Oyekanmi, and carted away the government’s money in Abeokuta, the state capital, on Wednesday.

Our correspondent learned that Oyekanmi, the Director of Finance at the Governor’s office, Oke-Mosan, had picked up an undisclosed sum of money from a Fidelity bank branch in Abeokuta and was on his way back to the office when he was ambushed by the gunmen.

According to sources, the hooded gunmen, numbering around five, intercepted the home-made bullion van while ascending the Kuto overhead bridge and started fire on the accountant.

It was also reported that the hoodlums who shattered the bullion van door with a sledge hammer fled with the government’s money.

According to sources, Oyekanmi and other aides who were shot during the attacks were transported to the State General Hospital in Ijaye, where the accountant eventually died.

According to a government official, the accountant’s police escort was not part of the team because he had obtained authorization to attend to family concerns.

According to the source, the State Government Secretary, Tokunbo Talabi, had previously visited the late accountant’s apartment to sympathize with the family.

In a phone interview with our correspondent on Wednesday night, the Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alamutu, verified the occurrence.

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 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.”