Some armed hoodlums suspected to be kidnappers have attacked a Chinese expatriate traveling on the busy Ore Expressway in Ondo State.
Some armed hoodlums suspected to be kidnappers have attacked a Chinese expatriate traveling on the busy Ore Expressway in Ondo State.
Sahara Reporters, however, learned that the expatriate was unhurt during the attack.
But our correspondent exclusively gathered that a mobile police orderly that was there to guide him was unlucky as he was killed in a gun duel.
The hoodlums numbering about six were said to have gotten information about the journey of the expatriate and decided to launch an attack on their target.
They were said to have ambushed the Chinese expatriate who was traveling in his private jeep with a total sum of five million naira and other hard currencies.
The real identity of the foreign contractor is still being kept secret by the police.
A police source that confirmed the Incident to Sahara Reporters said that the lucky Chinese expatriate had been a “big target” of the six man-robbery and kidnap gang.
The source that pleaded anonymity revealed how a wrong traveler was initially mistaken for the Chinese expatriate before he was later killed by the eye-blood letting hoodlums.
“The hoodlums got wind of the information that the white-man (Chinese expatriate) would be traveling last week Friday with the sum of five million alongside his driver on the Ore/Lagos Road."
“So, they decided to lay an ambush on the road after getting the necessary information and descriptions of his vehicle including the color, model, and timing of when the white-man would drive through the road."
“Unfortunately, the hoodlums had no patience as a wrong traveler identified as Mr. Akomolafe, who was transporting his son back to the school in the same description of the vehicle was mistaken for the Chinese expatriate."
“As they sighted his vehicle from afar thinking it was the expatriate’s vehicle, they laid an ambushed, forced the occupants out, and later realized that it was a wrong person (Akomolafe) and shot him, where he later died. "
“Meanwhile, the main target (Chinese expatriate) rammed into the hoodlums while they were still on the road and immediately when his driver saw them he attempted making a U-turn, but one of the kidnappers quickly saw them and shot at the vehicle."
“It was in the process of exchanging gunfire with the armed hoodlums that the mobile policeman attached to the expatriate was shot in the chest and died immediately."
“The hoodlums riddled the vehicle of the Chinese expatriate with gunshots as the driver made him escape from the scene during the operation,” he hinted.
The source further told our correspondent that the police authorities have been trying to shield the complete information from the media and members of the public.
Confirming the incident, Gbenga Adeyanju, the Commissioner of Police in Ondo State, told journalists in his office on Wednesday that the men of his command were able to make a breakthrough on the attacks.
“On the 24th of November, 2017 at about 3:45 pm, one Mr. Olufemi Komolafe was traveling from Akure to Lagos to drop his son, Timilehin Akomolafe at the University of Lagos (UNILAG)."
“Unfortunately, his Jeep was intercepted at the Irowi junction on the Ore Expressway by the kidnappers, and in the process, he was shot and killed while his son was kidnapped."
“In the same vein, a Jeep that was riding behind his vehicle was equally shot at and a mobile policeman lost his life, but the driver was smart enough to escape to safety once the policemen started firing at the kidnappers.”
Mr. Adeyanju later disclosed that the police was able to rescue the son (Timilehin) of the deceased after he was abducted.
He disclosed that the local vigilantes in partnership with the police also rescued two kidnapped victims after engaging the hoodlums in a gun duel.
Mr. Adeyanju mentioned the names of the rescued victims as Henry Usifo and Micheal Popoola, and said that they were all abducted on Ore Road while traveling to Lagos from Port Harcourt.
“These things happened almost simultaneously although no arrest has been made our men were able to engage the hoodlums in a gun battle and one of them escaped with a gun wound in the process,” he said.
Mr. Adeyanju said the police are now searching for the armed hoodlums and would make sure they are all arrested and face prosecution.
