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The Treasurer of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Jibowu-Yaba Branch, Alowonle Asekun, has been killed by hoodlums in the Grammar School area of the Ikorodu Local Government Area of Lagos State.
PUNCH Metro gathered that Asekun, while on his way out of the Ajasa-Lamberu Street in the Grammar School area, was accosted by the hoodlums, who reportedly shot him to death in front of the First Atlantic School on Friday, February 8, 2019.
Eyewitnesses, who spoke to our correspondent at the scene of the incident, said the hoodlums trailed Asekun to the area, adding that the news of his death had caused panic in the Jibowu and Fadeyi areas of the state.
One of the eyewitnesses, Akeem Adepoju, said Asekun was shot three times and died on the spot.
The taxi driver said, “I was in my wife’s shop when the incident happened. Before the hoodlums carried out the attack on the man, I observed that about four boys, who wore fez caps, parked their motorcycles and walked around our street for over one hour. Around 2pm, Asekun was on his way out when they attacked him and shot him three times till he died.
“Immediately they killed him, they took his wristwatch, phone and emptied his pocket. Later on, the patrol vehicle of the Onyabo Vigilante Group came to carry his remains.”
Another eyewitness, who simply identified herself as Titilayo, said one of Asekun’s killers walked out of the street without the fear of being arrested, while the others fled on their motorcycles.
“Immediately after the man was murdered, the assailants mounted the motorcycles they brought and ran away. But what surprised me the most was that the man, who brought the boys, walked majestically out of our street and nobody could challenge him, because nobody was ready to die,” the trader stated.
A resident of the area, who pleaded to remain anonymous, said the deceased was a member of the NURTW at Jibowu, Yaba.
When contacted, a member of the NURTW in the branch, Shehu Kazeem, said one of the suspected killers used a hidden number to call and inform him that Asekun had been murdered.
Kazeem said, “Immediately the incident happened, we realised that police officers had been stationed in the Ereko area. At first, I didn’t know what was going on, until someone called me with a hidden number to inform me that we should go and carry Asekun’s corpse.
“I went to the place where he was murdered and confirmed what they said. I really can’t explain how I felt when I saw his corpse. His death was very painful.”
In an interview with PUNCH Metro, the Chairman of the NURTW in the branch, Femi Akinboyeku, lamented the death of the treasurer and charged the police to investigate the case and arrest the killers.
He said, “I was at home when I received the news of the death of my treasurer. From what I gathered, it’s like some people used the number of someone he was familiar with to call him to meet them at the particular point where he was murdered.
“The people I suspect to have carried out the attack are the ‘Ereko boys’ at Fadeyi. These ‘Ereko boys’ are not our union members; they are usually not happy with our activities as a union.
“Honestly, I feel very sad about Asekun’s death and I want the law enforcement agents to investigate this case so that the suspects can be apprehended and brought to justice. As for my treasurer’s two wives and children, as the branch chairman, I will ensure that they are well taken care of to the best of our capacity.”
Asekun’s wives, when contacted, demanded justice over his death and tasked the police to apprehend the hoodlums, who perpetrated the act.
The deceased’s first wife and mother of three, Suliat, said, “We are housewives who depended on our husband to survive; and now he is gone. We want the police to please help us get justice.”
“I don’t want his death to be in vain; he was my only hope,” Anuoluwa, the second wife and mother of one said.
The Provost Marshal, Onyabo Vigilante Group, Olabinjo Olanrewaju, while blaming residents for not informing the outfit early enough when the hoodlums were roaming the area, said the remains of the deceased were recovered and taken to the Ikorodu Division Police Station.
“The people we spoke to in the area said those hoodlums ,who murdered the man, had been in the area for a while and they didn’t inform us that they were seeing strange faces. If they had, we would have engaged the hoodlums before they carried out the crime. The people said they were four in number, who attacked the deceased; they shot him with a pistol.
“When we got to the scene of the incident, we took the corpse to the police station, where we gave an account of what we gathered at the scene of the incident. The corpse was later taken to the Ikorodu General Hospital’s morgue.”
The state Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Chike Oti, who confirmed the incident to our correspondent, said two people had been arrested in connection with the crime, adding that the state Commissioner of Police, Zubairu Mu’azu, had transferred the case to the homicide section of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Panti, for further investigation.
Oti said, “The deceased was a member of a motor union and was trailed to the Ikorodu area of Lagos by a fractional group of the union and killed him.
“During the fracas that led to his death, the police in the Ikorodu Division received a distress call and mobilised swiftly to the scene and brought the situation under control. Two arrests have been made in connection with the incident.
“However, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, Zubairu Mu’azu, has directed that the case be transferred to the homicide section, SCIID, Panti, for further investigation.”
