Ogun governor’s office accountant killed in bullion van attack, millions of Naira carted away

Robbers struck on Wednesday in Abeokuta, Ogun state capital, killing an accountant of the Ogun State Government, Taiwo Oyekanmi, and carted away millions of Naira withdrawn from a bank for the government.

Oyekanmi, the Director of Finance and Accounts in the Governor’s Office, had picked an undisclosed amount of money from a branch of Fidelity bank and was heading to the office when he was waylaid by the gunmen.

The gunmen, according to a source, numbering about six shot the accountant dead while descending Kuto bridge and bolted with the government’s money.

Persecondnews gathered that Oyekanmi and other aides who sustained gunshot injuries during the attack were rushed to the State General Hospital, Ijaye, where the accountant was later confirmed dead..

Meanwhile, the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Tokunbo Talabi, had already visited the late accountant’s family to commiserate with them.

Confirming the incident, Police Commissioner Abiodun Alamutu, said: This afternoon, the accountant with driver and one other person left for Fidelity bank to make some withdrawals and they went with an homemade bullion van.

”They were supposed to have a police escort, but for certain reasons, the person was permitted to travel to attend to some issues, and so he was not part of the movement.

“According to the story, after making the withdrawal, and on their way back to the office, they were accosted.

”A vehicle blocked them on top of the bridge, five occupants of the vehicle came down, shot at the Director and from their vehicle brought out a sledge hammer to force the receptacle where the money was kept open and they left with the money.

“As at that time there was no information, the police escort was not with the team and they sped off.

”The driver claimed to have trailed them to a point along conference hotel where he lost contact with them. The Director that was shot was thereafter taken to Ijaye hospital where he eventually gave up the ghost.”

The police commissioner said he had directed the Area Commander to request from the bank the CCTV footage which would give the police an insight into the vehicle in question.