Posted by By CHRIS ANUCHA & CHRISTOPHER OJI on
A Lagos businessman who claimed to have witnessed the Sunday night brutal murder of Thisday editorial board member, Mr. Abayomi Ogundeji disclosed on Thursday that the former editor was shot dead by a gang of robbers.
A Lagos businessman who claimed to have witnessed the Sunday night brutal murder of Thisday editorial board member, Mr. Abayomi Ogundeji disclosed on Thursday that the former editor was shot dead by a gang of robbers.
The witness, Alhaji Suraju Azeez Folarin, a clearing and forwarding agent narrated the story of the murder in Lagos, just as the police denied having a hand in Ogundeji's killing.
Recounting the sad incident, Folarin said he and his wife were returning from a social event at Sagamu on Sunday night in his Nissan Murano Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV), marked BK 168 RSH.
He said further that a Peugeot car double-crossed his vehicle at about 10.25 at Liasu Road, Dopemu, near Kings petrol station.
According to him, the robbers in the Peugeot car snatched his vehicle at gunpoint, ordering him and his wife into the back seat, while a gang member took over the steering.
Folarin said as the robbers were zooming off in his vehicle, they sighted Ogundeji's vehicle and had interest in snatching it also, adding that when the bandits got close to it, they found out that it was a KIA Sportage SUV and changed their mind.
He further explained that amidst the confusion over which escape route to take and the jitters that appeared to have overtaken Ogundeji at the spot, his (Ogundeji's) vehicle hit the Nissan Murano.
According to Folarin, that infuriated the robbers, who stormed out of the vehicle and ordered the editor to wind down.
The witness recalled that as the senior journalist refused to wind down the door glass.
'One of the robbers brought out his gun and shouted, 'I will also spoil your car and started shooting ,' he said.
He said after firing the shots, the robber saw that he had killed Ogundeji and started blaming himself as his intention was to 'spoil' the car.
The witness recalled that even other members of the gang were against their colleague who pulled the trigger that killed the journalist.
However, after his narration, the police prevented journalists at the briefing from asking Folarin questions. He was also shielded from the camera, as he complained bitterly that it would amount to exposing him to danger as the particulars of his vehicle were in his snatched vehicle, which was yet to be recovered.
Reacting to questions from journalists, the Lagos State Police Commissioner, Mr. Marvel Akpoyibo denied vehemently the allegation that the police killed Ogundeji.
He explained that it was because of such insinuation that the police decided to invite the witness to come and tell the story.
The police commissioner charged journalists to always write reports based on facts and not speculation or rumour, adding that, 'liars will not go to heaven.'
He enjoined journalists and members of the public to assist the police in their investigations to track down the perpetrators of the heinous act.
Meanwhile, a group known as Friends of Ayodeji addressed the press in Lagos on Thursday, alleging that the police were behind the death of the journalist.
Investigations are, however, continuing.