Gunmen dressed in army uniform have killed the owner of Osofem Oil and Gas Company, Mr Olowufemi James and went away with his car at Ifo Area of Ogun State.
The father of three, it was learnt, was about to go home over the weekend, after the sales for the day when the gunmen stormed the petrol station and ordered everyone to remain where they were or they would be killed.
The assailants, who also wore face masks and hats, forced their way into the vehicle of the deceased and tried to drive off with him when the deceased jumped out of the vehicle and they chased after him. It was in the process of chasing him that he fell down and one of the gunmen used their gun to hit him on his ear before he was finally shot through the ear. He died before he was rushed to the General hospital Ifo.
The deceased wife, Omolayo James, said in her reaction, “My joy has been taken away from me, I don’t know my husband’s offence for them to kill him. He was an easy going person.
The bereaved wife said she was at home around 10p.m. on the fateful day when she received a phone call from someone that she should be coming to Ifo that something terrible has happened to the husband, but she couldn’t make it because it was late.
“It was one Mr. Gbenga that called me that fateful night that I should come to Ifo and I told him I couldn’t make it because I am nursing a baby of eleven months old. When I couldn’t bear the pain anymore I had to rush to our neighbour’s apartment to accompany me down. They also said they wouldn’t be able to go because it was late. While I was doing all these nobody told me what happened to my husband, I was kept in the dark until his family members came, and the news about his death was broken to me. Since then my children have been asking after their father.
“It was the following morning I was eventually told my husband had been assassinated by three assailants who were dressed in army uniform. I was told my husband was about to leave the petrol station but he was still talking to some of his staff when the gunmen stormed. He was chased down from his car and they demanded for his car key which he declined. Because he refused to give them his car key they pounced on him and beat him mercilessly. But he eventually succumbed to their pressure and gave it to them and they entered the vehicle with him and drove off. It was when they were going that my husband jumped out of the vehicle to escape but they went after him. It was in the process he fell down and he was shot through his ear. Before people could rush him to take him to the hospital he had given up the ghost and his remains was later deposited at the same hospital mortuary, while the assailants escaped with his car.
The widow added that, immediately after the incident before he was rushed to the hospital his security guard of the station, One Sunny was alleged to have remove the vault key from his pocket and took away large sum of money and since then he was nowhere to be found with the manager of the petrol station, he was killed four days after the Petrol station started operation.
“The matter was reported at the Ifo police station. I am appealing to the Ogun State Commissioner of Police, to please come to my aid, I don’t want my husband to die in vain. My children are still young. I am also begging the State Governor Prince Dapo Abiodun to assist me because my husband was killed in his prime. He was the only one his family members are looking up to so he must not die just like that.”
The deceased brother, Mr. Olatunde Moses said the death of his elder brother was an unfortunate one to him and other family members.
He said he was also at the station when the assailants came and everyone stayed where they were and threatened to shoot anybody that tried to move including the deceased.
“The assailants who were fully armed, before the arrival of Policemen, had been shot dead and they went away with his car. My brother was a gentleman, who hardly fought, but only God knows those who are after him. I don’t know if it is a crime to run a petrol station, we are waiting for the police investigation on the matter. And I hope that the suspects who killed him would be arrested and prosecuted without delay by the police.
“This petrol station was just inaugurated on Thursday January 3, 2020. Now, he was killed four days after, people are cruel, he was an easy going person. We are suspecting the manager and the security officer of the petrol station, because since the incident occurred we couldn’t find the two of them.”
When contacted, the Ogun State Command Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Abimbola OyÂeyemi, did not pick his calls and also didn’t return the text message sent to him.