By; RAYMOND TEDUNJAYE, Lagos
Yet to be identified gunmen have reportedly assassinated the owner of Osofem Oil and Gas Company Mr. Olowufemi James in Ogun State, four days after the commissioning of the station.
The station manager and the security guard were said to have conspired to empty the vault of the station and eloped with huge sum of money and have not been seen till now.
Our correspondent reliably gathered that the assassin, said to have dressed in Army uniform, shot and killed the oil magnate after a heated encounter at his filling station in Ifo area of the state and fled with the deceased’s car.
The father of three, it was learnt was about going home on Sunday January 6, after the sales for the day when the gunmen stormed the petrol station and ordered everyone to remained where they are or they would be killed.
The assailants who also wore face mask and hat, forced their way into the vehicle of the deceased and tried to drive off with him when the deceased jumped out of the vehicle and they chased him, it was in the process of chasing him that he fell down and one of the gunmen used their gun to hit him on his ear before he was finally shot through the ear, but died before he was rushed to the General hospital Ifo.
According to the distraught deceased wife, Omolayo James, my joy has been taken away from me, I don’t know my husband offence for killing him, he was an easy going person.
The bereaved wife said she was at home around 10p.m. on the fateful day when she received a phone call from someone that she should be coming to Ifo that something terrible has happened to the husband, but she couldn’t make it because it was late.
“It was one Mr. Gbenga that called me that fateful night that to come to Ifo and I told I couldn’t make it because I have a baby of eleven months old. When I couldn’t bear the pain anymore I have to rushed to our neighbour’s apartment to accompany me down they also said they wouldn’t be able to go because it was late. While I was doing all these nobody told me what happened to my husband, I was kept in darkness until his family members came and the news about his death was broken to me. Since then my children have been asking after their father.
“It was the following morning I was eventually told my husband has been assassinated by three assailants who dressed in army uniform, I was told my husband was about to leave the petrol station but he was still talking to some of his staff when the gunmen stormed. He was chased down from his car and they demanded for his car key which he declined. Because he refused to give them his car key they pounced on him and beat him mercilessly. But he eventually succumbed to their pressure and gave it to them and they entered the vehicle with him and drove off, it was when they were going that my husband jumped out of the vehicle to escaped but they went after him, it was in the process he fell down and he was shot through is ear, before people could rushed him to the hospital, he had gave up the ghost and his remain was later deposited at the same hospital mortuary, while the assailants escaped with his car.
The widow added that, immediately after the incident before he was rushed to the hospital his security officer one Sunny remove the vault key from his pocket and took away large sum of money and since then he was nowhere to be found with the manager of the petrol station.
“The matter was reported at Ifo Police Station, I am appealing to the Ogun State Commissioner of Police, to please come to my aid, I don’t want my husband to die in vain. My children are still young. I am also begging the State Governor Prince Dapo Abiodun to assist me because my husband was killed in his prime. He was the only one his family members are looking up to, he must not die just like that.”
Also, the deceased brother, Mr. Olatunde Moses said the death of his elder brother was an unfortunate one to him and other family members.
Olatunde said he was also at the station when the assailants came and ordered everyone to stay where they are and threatening to shoot anybody that tried to move including the deceased.
“The assailants who were fully armed, before the arrival of Policemen he had been shot dead and they went away with his car. My brother was a gentleman, who hardly fight, but only God knows those who are after him. I don’t know if it is crime to run a petrol station, we are waiting for the police investigation on the matter. And I hope that the suspects who killed him would be arrested and prosecuted without delay by the police.
“This petrol station was just inaugurated on Thursday January 3, 2022 Now, he was killed four days after, people are cruel, he was an easy going person. We are suspecting the manager and the security officer of the petrol station, because since the incident occurred will couldn’t find the two of them. This is the area the police should beam their search light to and get the two men who are at large arrested.”
When Contacted, the Ogun State Command Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi didn’t picked his calls and also didn’t return the text message sent to him.
