An Osogbo-based auto mechanic, Babatunde Oyetunji, on Friday narrated how some armed individuals raided his mechanical workshop located at Ring road, opposite NNPC mega station, Osogbo, Osun State capital and carted away vehicles and spare parts worth millions of naira.
According to Oyetunji, who was almost shedding tears while speaking with journalists in Osogbo, three vehicles, new automobile engines and gears which belong to his customers were carted away.
He said the reasons behind the action of the suspected raiders who he said by his findings wore Amotekun uniforms with different dangerous weapons yet to be known to him as the incident occured shortly after he departed his workshop to Ibadan for work.
The traumatized victim who couldn’t hold his emotions over the bitter experience said the incident happened around 10:00am on Monday, July 29, 2024.
He itemized the belongings carted away to include automobile engines and gears of several vehicles, a Toyota Sienna, Toyota Camry, Hilux, and a 2010 Highlander Jeep.
Oyetunji sought for public assistance just as he urged Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun and Osun State Commissioner of Police, Muhammed Abba to investigate the matter as he has been down since the incident occured saying the owners of the properties forcely carted away have been on his neck for recovering of their belongings.
He explained, “On the 29th of July, 2024, around 10 am, while I was on my way to Ibadan for work, I received a call from my workshop by one of my apprentices who informed that some armed men numbering about 20 were in my workshop and one of them wanted to talk to me.
“He gave the phone to one of them who sounded so violent and told me they were in my workshop to tow all the available vehicles and when I was trying to make enquiry about who they are their mission, he banged the call on me.
“I was told when I returned to Osogbo that, their operation lasted for eight hours. They stormed my workshop around 10:00am in the morning and left at exactly 5:00pm.
“They carted away car engines and vehicles gears of Toyota Sienna, engine and gear of a Toyota Camry, on droplight gear, one Hilux engine, four rims, and engine and gear of a 2010 Highlander Jeep and they also carted away three vehicles. They operated between 10:00am and 5:00pm.
“When I returned from Ibadan, I went straight to the workshop and gathered from people who were around while the operation lasted that some of those
who came to ransack my workshop wore Amotekun uniform, while some of them wore a reflective jacket bearing Osun government logo. They said they couldn’t approach them because they were fully armed with guns and other weapons.
“I have been a mechanic for more than 30 years, and I have never been involved in any work that could have led me to the police station. I don’t have any case or have any issues with anyone.
“I have officially reported the matter at the the police station, and I am calling on the people in Osun and all over the country to come to my aide because for the engines and gears carted away alone is more N13million let alone three vehicles which were brought for repairs,” he added.
When contacted, the Field Commander of Osun Amotekun, CSP Adekunle Omoyele (rtd) stated that the asset recovery committee of the State government visited the workshop.
Omoyele said “it was the assets recovery of the State government that went to his office. They discovered that some of the stolen vehicles were in workshop and they went there to recover them”.
