Olaitan
Oyerinde, the Principal Private Secretary to Governor Adams Oshiomole was
murdered by suspected hired assassins in the early hours of Friday.
The
incident took place just six days after the Governor escaped death in an
accident just by a hair’s breadth. Governor Oshiomole had later described the
accident which claimed the lives of three journalists as a calculated attempt
to kill him.
The death of his private secretary has sent shivers down the
spines of almost every Edo indigene.
Tony
Iyare, the Special Adviser to Governor Oshiomole issued a statement in which he
gave a detailed description of how Oyerinde was murdered.
The
statement reads inter alia:
The
Principal Private Secretary to Edo State Governor, Mr Olaitan Oyerinde was
killed in the wee hours of this morning by unknown gunmen.
Oyerinde,
44, was shot dead by four gunmen who invaded his house located in Ugbor area,
Benin City around 1 a.m.
Shortly
after they stormed the compound, they bounded the security guard while two of
them forced their way through the front door and made straight for his bedroom.
On
recognizing that it was Mr. Oyerinde’s brother-in-law who was actually sleeping
on the bed, they immediately left him and went for the wife, Funke, asking her
to lead them to the husband who, unknown to them, was sleeping in the living
room.
On
sighting him, they instantly fired four shots, one to the head, chest, abdomen
and hip, killing Oyerinde instantly. The gunmen later fled without taking
anything from the house.
The
killing of Mr. Oyerinde is coming exactly six days after Governor Adams
Oshiomhole’s convoy was attacked along Warrake-Auchi road, by a truck that
curiously veered off its track and headed straight for the staff car, missing
it by the whiskers. Three journalists were killed while others including
security details, sustained various degree of injuries.
Curiously,
at about 2.45am the following day, the home of the Information Commissioner, Mr
Louis Odion, was invaded by four gunmen who also missed him because he opted to
pass the night in a friend’s house located in another part of the city. A
member of the Edo State House of Assembly, Hon Johnson Oghuma was also
similarly attacked by gunmen recently. Oghuma who represents Etsako Central had
his car riddled with bullets as he was on his way to Fugar, his hometown.
Odion had
at a press briefing last Sunday, raised fears that top government functionaries
were being targeted for elimination.
Oyerinde
who read Mass Communication at the University of Lagos, was seconded from the
Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to work for the comrade governor in November
2007. He is survived by his wife, Funke, four children and an aged mother.
This
sequence of sordid events coming each time on the eve of the flag off of
Governor Oshiomhole’s campaign, raises grave concern and therefore demands
thorough investigation by the security forces.
Meanwhile a march was held to protest Olaitan’s murder in Benin
City. On his arrival from Abuja, Governor Oshiomole joined the march and he has
disclosed that if the police fails to find the perpetrators within 14 days, he
might have to exercise options as the Chief Security Officer of the state.
Tags
Politics