It’s exactly two years since Taiwo Oyekanmi, the Director of Finance to the Ogun State governor’s office, was shot dead on the popular Kuto Bridge in Abeokuta, while returning from the bank where he had withdrawn a large sum of money for government use.
Fifty-one-year old Oyekanmi was killed in cold blood by five hooded gunmen on Wednesday, 29th of November 2023, yet, none of his killers have been arrested.
DAILY POST had reported that the gunmen reportedly hijacked the bullion van he was accompanying, while it was ascending the popular Kuto Bridge in Abeokuta, opened fire on the official, broke the bullion van door with sledge hammers and carted away an undisclosed amount of money belonging to the state government.
The accountant, who was shot in the thigh a few days after he celebrated his birthday, was rushed to the state hospital, in the Ijaye area of Abeokuta, where he took his last breath.
DAILY POST learnt that the police inspector, who was meant to be with the bullion van was not present and had reportedly travelled when the incident happened.
Government places N50m bounty on killers
Reacting to the news of his death, the Ogun State Government gave a matching order to smoke out the killers and promised to reward anyone who offers information that could lead to the arrest of the perpetrators with the sum of N50 million.
Secretary to the State Government, Tokunbo Talabi, in a statement signed by him, assured that any information provided will be treated with utmost confidentiality.
“The Ogun State Government has announced a reward of fifty (50) million naira for anyone with information that could lead to the arrest of the killers of the state’s Director of Finance and Administration (DFA), Mr. Taiwo Oyekanmi, on 29th November, 2023 in Abeokuta.
“Information provided would be treated with utmost confidentiality” the statement read.
After the announcement, it was observed that road blocks were mounted by the police at every road and corner of the state, yet, not a single one of them (killers) was apprehended.
Retiring CP expresses regrets one year after, over failure to apprehend culprits
The then Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alamutu, before his retirement, expressed regret that the command was yet to apprehend the assailants.
Alamutu lamented that no information nor claim was obtained despite the Command’s efforts, and prayed that his successor continues from where he stopped in ensuring that justice is served.
He said, “The only regret I have in this state is that up till now we have not been able to arrest the person that shot the finance director.
“That’s the only regret I have and it still boils down to what we are saying; no information, no claim. It took us to so many places, it took us to even Ibadan.
“But God knows that my successor will continue from where we stopped because it is important we get the culprit and God will assist my successor.”
Family renew call for justice after two years
Meanwhile, the family of late Taiwo has again demanded for justice, saying this will help them heal and recover from the vacuum caused by his death.
In a statement released on Thursday, the deceased’s elder brother, Lanre Oyekanmi, said that they had continued to live in fear because the criminals were still out on the streets unpunished.
He stated that while the government had moved on from the death, the family is still left grieving.
Lanre admitted that the government fulfilled all its promises in the areas of education of his three children and payment of the deceased’s emoluments, but the perpetrators were yet to be arrested and prosecuted.
Oyekanmi, “The only promise yet unfulfilled is the arrest and prosecution of those who killed our late brother. The family needs closure.
“The governor promised to leave no stone unturned to bring the perpetrators to book, but thus far, it seems the government has moved on — but not so for the family.
“Now, we have a new police commissioner, should we say a crime file of that magnitude has been closed because a commissioner has retired?
“The family deserves to know. But as long as the perpetrators are still out there, no one is safe. It is our family that is currently at the receiving end; who knows who is next?” He added.
Responding, the State Commissioner of Police, Lanre Ogunlowo, assured that the case was still open and investigation was ongoing.
Ogunlowo said, “The case has not been closed; it is an open case, and we are still investigating it.”
