Taiwo Oyekanmi
By Our Reporter
The Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alamutu, has declared that the perpetrators behind the brutal murder of Taiwo Oyekanmi, the Director of Finance in Governor Dapo Abiodun’s office, were insiders with premeditated intentions.
Oyekanmi met his tragic end while returning from a bank where he had facilitated the withdrawal of a substantial sum, N112.335 million, for the state.
Commissioner Alamutu expressed bewilderment at the assailants’ level of preparation, highlighting the presence of a sledge hammer used to breach the bullion van.
“From the information we have, it is obvious that it was premeditated. It was an in-house (thing). We have this feeling because, how did they know that they would need a hammer to break the receptacle?
“And they must have been lurking around the bank area, waiting for the man or he must have been trailed to that area and they must have had information that he was going to take a large amount of money from the bank. So, we are working on it.
“They (the armed robbers) came in a Toyota Corolla with a registration number yet unknown. They are about five, putting on hoods to conceal their identity. By God’s grace, we will do everything possible to ensure we get at them,” Alamutu disclosed.
The targeted heist occurred on the Kuto flyover, where armed robbers intercepted the bullion van, which notably lacked police escort at the time. Among the three occupants, including the driver Lekan Akintoye and Peter Samson, Oyekanmi was the sole victim identified and fatally shot with an AK-47 rifle.
Inspector Rasheed Adegbite, the attached mobile police officer, meant to accompany the bullion van, was notably absent, having reportedly traveled to Igbo-Ora in Oyo State without official permission. He has since been apprehended for investigation.
The deceased Oyekanmi, who had withdrawn N97.335 million from Fidelity Bank and N15 million from Sterling Bank, became the center of debates regarding the state government’s responsibility for his security.
