BY AKINWALE ABOLUWADE, IBADAN
David Akinwumi, a computer technician at the Computer Village, Ikeja, Lagos, has recounted how he escaped being killed when gunmen attacked some motorists on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on July 23, 2020.
Akinwumi, while giving his account during a live radio programme known as ‘Opeyemi’ on FRESH 105.9 FM, Ibadan, anchored by Yinka Ayefele, a popular musician and founder of the radio station, said he became a private transport operator in his quest for survival.
He said, however, that the story turned out sour.
The computer technician, who said he took to commercial transportation when his business failed, said he was trapped in a cross-fire when some gunmen intercepted his vehicle at Ajebo, near the Foursquare Gospel Church Camp, along the Lagos-Ibadan highway on the fateful day.
According to him, at some point on his way with passengers from Ibadan to Lagos, two armed men emerged from the bush and started firing at his Honda Accord car.
On sighting the men, he said that he increased speed in a bid to escape from the scene but saw other members of the gang shooting ahead. One of the bullets eventually hit him, leading to much loss of blood.
At that point, he could no longer continue driving.
Akinwumi, a native of Sagamu in Ogun State, said, “On the said day, I drove some passengers to Ibadan and we agreed that I should take them back to Lagos. On our way back, shortly before Foursquare Gospel Camp, somewhere around Ajebo, two men emerged from the bush and started shooting at our vehicle. I continued driving in order for us to escape from the scene.
“They went on shooting while some others rushed out from the bush ahead, also firing at our vehicle. I increased my speed, but at some point, a bullet hit me in the back. It ripped through my body and came out through my ribs.
“I became weak, so I stepped on the brakes. However, I was the only one in the car who was hit by the bullets. At a point I became unconscious; it was as if I passed out at that point. The gunmen rushed to the car. When they discovered that I was already hit by bullets, they walked away into the bush.
“I came down from the vehicle and removed my shirt. I retrieved my car key and managed to drive from that point to Ogere. There, people gathered and called on the police to help. They (the police) ignored me.
“Luckily, a mechanic who once fixed my car at the place identified me as his customer. This moved people to come around to help me. A police officer identified as Mr. Austin, who was on duty at the station that day, drove me down to the Force Hospital but they said my case was hopeless and that they couldn’t help me.
“The officer took me to another hospital in the area. A prominent man (name not given) who was also attacked at the same time by the gunmen was being brought into the hospital. He also had bullet wounds and was undergoing treatment. He was able to identify me.
“The scan carried out on me showed that the bullet that hit me in the back was heading straight for my heart but got diverted and passed beside my liver and then out through the ribs onto the dashboard of my car.”
Akinwumi said that things were initially going well for him until he had an encounter with the wife of a police officer at Iponri Police Station, in Lagos.
The woman, who claimed to be a Customs officer, told him about a car auction being purportedly done at her office.
Being a car lover, he decided to put his money into it.
“I gave the woman N2.5million to get me five vehicles. The woman failed to get back to me on it, so I went to report the matter to her husband. I was shocked when he turned round to accuse me of engaging in an affair with his wife. I went to report the case at the SARS office but everything ended in a deadlock as one Inspector Idowu advised me to drop the case.
“When things turned so bad, I raised some money through a friend to buy a vehicle which I had hoped to register for transportation through Uber but my request was turned down. I later registered the car at the Ibadan park in Lagos. I managed to cope with the hurdles of life until the day I was attacked by highway robbers,” he said.
