By Joyce Babayeju
Gunmen in military camouflage stormed Osofem Oil and Gas Company, in the Ifo area of Ogun State, over the weekend, shooting its owner, Mr Olufemi James, to death.
The incident happened barely four days after the petrol station was opened.
The deceased, as gathered, visited the petrol station on Sunday to take stock of the day’s sales. As he was about to leave in his car, the gunmen announced their presence with sporadic gunshots, ordering everyone to lie down.
The hooded assailants were said to have entered late James’ car, took over the steering and started the ignition. In his confusion, James jumped out of the car and took to his heels. But he slipped in the process. One of the gunmen, who was chasing him, reportedly shot him in the ear, abandoned him in the pool of his blood and went away in his car.
His distraught widow, Omolayo, called on the Police to fish out perpetrators of the act. Maintaining that the gunmen were assassins and not robbers, Omolayo, said: “The news was broken to me the next day (Monday). That was after I received a call at about 10 pm the previous night, to rush down to Ifo General Hospital.
“I was told they were three. They dragged him out of his car and demanded the car keys. But my husband refused to give them. They pounced on him until he succumbed. They entered the vehicle with him and drove off. My husband managed to jump out and they chased him. The rest is history.
“Immediately the incident happened, one of the private guards removed the vault key from my husband’s pocket and made away with a large sum of money.”
The incident, according to the widow, was reported at the Ifo Police division of the Ogun State Police Command.Police sources at the Ogun State Police Command said an investigation into the incident had commenced, adding that efforts are on to identify and apprehend the gunmen.
Edo IPMAN chairman abducted, driver killed
In a related case, a member of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN. in Edo State, Abdul-Hamid Egele, popularly called Baba Petrol, was, Monday, abducted while his driver was reportedly killed by the gunmen.
It was gathered that the incident occurred in Jattu, Etsako West Local Government Area at 7 pm.
An eyewitness, who pleaded anonymity, said Egele was returning home after the day’s business when he was accosted by the gunmen.Contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Bello Kotongs, confirmed the incident.
