Kwara State msp
By Akeem Atoyebi
The family of a retired Controller of Work at the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, AbdulRazaq Ajani, has given a sad account of how the retired top civil servant was brutally murdered in the presence of his wife and children on New Year’s Day in Ilorin, moments after returning home from Offa, Kwara State.
Ajani according to report was said to have been assaulted by his assailants who allegedly trailed him to Ilorin from Offa, his hometown, where he spent the Christmas and New Year holidays with his family.
It was learnt that the incident occurred at about 3 p.m. at Dele Gege Street, Aderoju area, off Awolowo Road in the Tanke Area of Ilorin, the state capital.
It was gathered that the killers casually strolled into Ajani’s compound moments after he drove in with his immediate family members.
A family member, who pleaded anonymity, said, “Four young men between 18 and 22 years old carried out the act. It was not clear how the assassins arrived in the area.
“A review of the CCTV camera recordings showed two of them standing beside the gate of Mr Ajani’s residence, one of them sipping water from a plastic bottle, while the two others strolled into the compound.
“On noticing the young men from one of the two sitting rooms on the ground floor of the one-storey duplex building, the retired federal officer reportedly rose to meet them at the main door.
“They appeared to be engaging him in a discussion until he was suddenly lying face down on the ground.”
The immediate family members reportedly watched in horror as the assassins hacked their father with what looked like small axes.
“Their gruesome task accomplished, the assassins swiftly fled the scene before the howlings of the family members drew the attention of neighbours.
“The late engineer was attacked and hacked to death in the presence of his wife and children immediately on arrival from Offa where he went for the Christmas and New Year break,” a relative who spoke in confidence said.
“If you get to his house, there are blood stains on the walls while his brain is also scattered on the floor.
“Many people have besieged the residence of the man sympathising with the wife and the children while a team of policemen has visited the scene for an investigation”, the witnesses said.
A civil engineer, Ajani retired from the Federal Ministry of Works about four years ago but was said to have accepted a contract appointment at the ministry last year.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Ejire-Adeyemi Toun, confirmed the incident to journalists on Thursday.
Ejire-Adeyemi said, “Yes, the incident happened. I can confirm to you that there was a report that a retired controller of works was killed in the Tanke area yesterday (Wednesday). Police have waded into the incident and have commenced investigation on it.”
The spokesperson said no suspect had been arrested but an investigation had commenced.
