The Managing
Director/Editor-in-Chief of the Nigerian Compass newspaper, Mr. Adesina
Kawonise, is currently receiving medical attention at the University College
Hospital, Ibadan, Oyo state, Southwest Nigeria after he was reportedly shot by
gunmen along the Akure-Ilesha highway.
Mr. Kawonise and one of his security
details were shot by the gunmen at about 8.30 pm at the Ikeji-Arakeji junction
on the Akure-Ilesha highway on Monday night while on their way to Lagos from
Anambra state.
It was learnt that he sustained gunshot
wounds along with a police security detail with him in his car.
According to a statement from the media
organisation, Mr. Kawonise was returning from Awka where he had gone to present
a keynote address at the 17th Annual Conference of the Nigerian Anthropological
and Sociological Association and was presented with a Distinguished Sociologist
Award by the association when the incident occurred.
“He was in a convoy of two vehicles when
the vehicle in which he was travelling was suddenly ambushed at the
Ikeji-Arakeji junction shortly after Akure at about 8.30 pm.
“Mr. Kawonise and the policeman seated
with the driver in front of the vehicle were hit by bullets.
“They were immediately rushed to a private
hospital from where the policeman was transferred to the Wesley Guild Hospital,
Ilesha for surgery,” the statement signed by Biodun Oduwole, a director in the
media organisation on behalf of the board members stated.
P.M. NEWS learnt that Kawonise was Tuesday
morning transferred to the University College Hospital Ibadan for better
medical attention.
“He is in stable condition and has
undergone surgery for his injuries.
“We do not know the motive of the
attackers of Mr. Kawonise but he recently received threats to his person from
some unknown Internet messengers.
“The Board of Directors of Western Publishing
Company is grateful to God that no life was lost in the attack and would want
to assure all Nigerians that the Nigerian Compass under the leadership of Mr.
Kawonise will not fight shy of its social responsibility,” the statement added.