"The man (bursar) had just returned from one of the new generation banks where he had gone to withdraw some funds, which we learnt was probably meant for retirees. The money was about N500,000. He was shot in the thigh."
Gabriel Kola Abiodun, bursar of Akure Diocese of the Anglican Communion in Ondo State, has been shot dead, SaharaReporters has just learnt.
Abiodun was killed on Thursday morning by gunmen suspected to be armed robbers at the diocesan office complex of the church in Alagbaka area of Akure, the Ondo State capital.
SaharaReporters learnt from an eyewitness that the church bursar was shot by three gun-wielding men, after he made some bank transactions.
According to the eyewitness, Abiodun was trailed from the bank by the gunmen to the diocese, where he was shot dead.
He said: "The man (bursar) had just returned from one of the new generation banks where he had gone to withdraw some funds, which we learnt was probably meant for retirees. The money was about N500,000. He was shot in the thigh.
“I think the armed robbers attacked him, collected the money, before they escaped from the premises. By the time we came out of the building, there were blood stains everywhere on the floor. It’s a very sad thing.”
The church authorities have invited the Police to the scene for investigation.
"It is true. The man in charge of the church's finance was shot dead this morning around 9:30am inside the premises of the diocese. The church has invited the Police and they have taken his corpse away. It was just a sad incident for us this morning," he said.
Femi Joseph, spokesman of the Ondo Police Command, confirmed the incident in a short interview with SaharaReporters on phone.
"Yes, it is true the man was shot, but we are now investigating the case and his body has been evacuated,” Joseph stated.
Security has been beefed up at the scene and unauthorised entry into the premises has been restricted.