Thieves murder Finance Director in Governor Abiodun’s office and steal millions of Naira
Alleged armed robbers have purportedly killed Mr. Taiwo Oyekanmi, the Director of Finance and Accounts in the governor’s office. The incident occurred on the flyover bridge near the NNPC Junction along the IBB Boulevard in the Oke-Mosan area of Abeokuta.
Mr. Oyekanmi was returning from the bank, where he had gone to withdraw funds in anticipation of Thursday’s budget presentation by Governor Abiodun.
The Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alamutu, verified the incident, stating that armed individuals intercepted the vehicle of the deceased, which had five occupants.
They then opened fire on the Director of Finance and Accounts (DFA), leading to his fatal injury.
According to Alamutu, “This afternoon, the accountant, the director of finance, a driver, and another individual went to Fidelity bank for a withdrawal, using a makeshift bullion van.
Originally, they were supposed to be accompanied by a police escort, but due to specific reasons, the escort was granted permission to address certain matters and, as a result, did not join the group for the outing today.”
Alamutu explained that, as per the account, upon completing the withdrawal and returning to the office, they encountered an ambush. A vehicle obstructed their path on the bridge, and the five occupants of that vehicle disembarked.
They proceeded to shoot at the director from their vehicle and utilized a sledgehammer to forcefully open the container holding the money before departing with the stolen funds.
“At that moment, there was no communication, and the police escort was absent from the group, prompting them to drive away hurriedly.
The driver asserted that he followed them until a location near the conference hotel, where he lost track of their whereabouts,” he clarified.
Subsequently, the director, who had sustained gunshot wounds, was transported to Ijaye hospital, where he unfortunately passed away.
“For our inquiry, I have instructed the area commander to visit the bank and obtain the CCTV footage. This footage would provide details about the involved vehicle and the potential identification of the culprits, whether they exited the vehicle or remained inside.
Additionally, I’ve coordinated with authorities in Lagos and across the command to secure all exits out of the state as we work on identifying them, considering they mentioned being a group of five individuals who wore hoods,” he further explained.
Meanwhile, Governor Prince Dapo Abiodun expressed profound shock upon learning about the tragic incident involving the Director of Finance.
In a statement conveyed through the Secretary to the State Government and released to the media by the Chief Press Secretary, Lekan Adeniran, the governor extended condolences and called for prayers for the bereaved family.
Describing the occurrence as an abrupt and distressing event, the governor prayed for the deceased director’s family to find the strength to cope with this immense loss.
“I was devastated and extremely shocked upon receiving news of the cold-blooded murder of Oyekanmi at the hands of criminal elements and enemies of our State,” he remarked.
“The loss of such a dedicated, honest, and industrious official is truly devastating for our administration. The perpetrators have committed a heinous act, and we are determined to swiftly apprehend them wherever they may be hiding.
I have instructed all security agencies in the state to promptly track down these criminals and subject them to the full force of the law. I want to reassure the entire workforce and residents of the state that we will take every necessary measure to prevent such a tragedy from occurring again.
My prayers go out for the peaceful repose of his soul and for God’s protection over the family he left behind. Undoubtedly, his absence will be deeply felt by his relatives, colleagues, and the government he served diligently until his unfortunate demise,” the statement conveyed.