Gunmen in military uniform have killed a businessman, Olufemi James, at his filling station, Osofem Oil and Gas, in the Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State.
Olufemi, who inaugurated the filling station four days to the incident, was leaving after the close of work on Sunday when he was attacked by the gunmen.
A man, who claimed to be the deceased’s nephew and identified himself as Harbee, said the gunmen were clad in military camouflage.
He said, “It happened at Osofem Oil and Gas, Nitel Bus-stop, Ifo, around 10pm on Sunday. He was about going home when they attacked him.”
The deceased’s wife, Omolayo James, said the victim died before he could be rushed to the Ifo General Hospital.
She said, “It was the next day I was informed that my husband was assassinated by three gunmen in army uniform. I was told that my husband was about to leave the petrol station but was still talking to some of his staff when the gunmen stormed the place.
“He was chased down from his car. They demanded his car key, but he declined. They pounced on him and beat him mercilessly before he eventually gave them the key and they drove off with him.
“My husband jumped out of the vehicle to escape, but they went after him. It was in the process he fell and was shot through his ear. Before people could rush him to hospital, he had given up the ghost and his remains were later deposited in the same hospital’s mortuary, while the assailants escaped with his car.
“After the incident happened, his security officer removed the vault key from his pocket and took away a large sum of money and since then, he and the manager of the filling station are nowhere to be found.”
The deceased’s brother, Olatunde Moses, urged the police to arrest the fleeing assailants.
He said, “This petrol station was inaugurated on Thursday and he was killed four days after; people are cruel. He was an easy-going person.”
Our correspondents learnt that the deceased’s vehicle was later recovered in a bush in the Obada-Oko area of Ogun State.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi, confirmed the incident, adding that investigation was ongoing.
He said, “It’s a case of armed robbery and the command is investigating it. We learnt that they came in military uniform and they killed the man.
“I think there was information about the man that he was coming with some amount of money. So, they took away the vehicle with the money inside it. We are still investigating the incident.”
