Some yet-to-be-identified gunmen, dressed in military camouflage, reportedly stormed Osofem Oil and Gas Station in Ifo, Ogun State, killing Olufemi James, its proprietor.
The tragedy, on Sunday, happened barely four days after the filing station was opened.
It was gathered that the owner visited the filling station to take stock of the day’s sales on Sunday. The fierce looking gunmen, who shot sporadically were said to have arrived as he was about to drive out of the station in his car.
They ordered those who were on ground at the station to lie down.
The hooded assailants were said to have entered into the car of their victim and started the ignition.
In the confusion that ensued, James reportedly jumped out of the car and took to his heels. He allegedly slipped in the process and one of the gunmen, who was chasing him, shot him in the ear.
He was abandoned in a pool of blood and the gang went away with his car.
The wife of the businessman, Omolayo, urged the Police to fish out her husband’s killers. She was quoted as saying that the gunmen were assassins and not robbers.
Omolayo was alleged to have said that “The news was broken to me the next day (Monday). That was after I received a call at about 10pm the previous night to rush down to Ifo General Hospital.
“I was told that they were three, that they dragged him out of his car and demanded the car keys. But, my husband refused to give them. They pounced on him until he succumbed. They entered the vehicle with him and drove off.
“My husband managed to jump out and they chased him. The rest is history.
“Immediately the incident happened, one of the private guards removed the vault key from my husband’s pocket and made away with a large sum of money.”
According to her, the incident was reported at the Ifo Police Division.
An officer at the Ogun State Police Command, (preferred anonymity), said that an investigation into the incident had commenced.
