Olu Falae, the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), this evening narrowly escaped death in the hands of hoodlums suspected to be hired assassins, sources told our SaharaReporters correspondent.
A source in Falae’s convoy told SaharaReporters during a distressed call that the National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) was “almost attacked” along the Akure- Ilesa- Osogbo Expressway on Tuesday.
The source, who pleaded anonymity, told our correspondent that Mr. Falae was on his way to Ile-Ife to meet with the new Oni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, in Osun State, when the suspected assassins fired gunshots at his vehicle.
“These hoodlums fired a shot at one of the Jeep immediately we passed through Ikeji- Arakeji area of Osun State and we all got sacred.
“You remember he [Falae] was kidnapped late last year. It may be another mission to assassinate him. This time around they are planning to kill him, only God knows his offence”, the source said on phone.
“Local people trading at the junction told us that the [the men] may be armed robbers, chasing a bullion van loaded because one of the vans was ahead of us and the security van was trying to negotiate the bend to takeover us when they open fire at our vehicle.
“I still believed the occupants of the van are on a deadly mission to kill us and possibly targeting our principal. They even bang the door-side where our Oga [Falae] was sitting close to the window side”.
Moshood Raji, an aide to Falae confirmed the incident to SaharaReporters and said the hoodlums are “on a mission to kill” by wearing a police uniform and fired directly at the side where Falae was sitting inside the Ford Hilux van.
“I saw three of them holding a gun and the next one triggered the fire and shot at Baba’s [Falae] vehicle. I got shocked because of the past experience of how the old man was kidnapped last year.
“Although, we are going to report to the police immediately because it is better to secure our life than hiding this time of incident under the carpet”, he said.
Sources in Ile-Ife, Osun state told SaharaReporters that Falae was supposed to join some Afenifere leaders at the palace of the new Oni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi
SaharaReporters correspondent could not immediately reach Olu Falae as at the time of filing this report.