Shock, grief and anguish yesterday enveloped Ibadan, the Oyo State capital city, following the murder of a prominent member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and member of the House of Representatives, Segun Moses Oladimeji by suspected assassins.
Popularly called Segelu, the grassroots politician and close associate of Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu was shot dead in the Ejioku area of Lagelu local government area of the state by two gun-wielding men around 9.30pm on Friday.
When the news of his death filtered into town yesterday, a pall of silence descended on the city, as party supporters and leaders of the PDP in the state, led by Alhaji Adedibu, trooped to the late politician's 'Segelu' Hotel on New Ife road, to ascertain the story.
For about three hours, the Oyo State governor, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala sat glued to his seat under a mahogany tree at the hotel, intermittently mopping his face to subdue the tears welling in his eyes.
His deputy, Taofeek Arapaja, Chief Adedibu and the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Moroof Atilola, who led the lawmakers, joined him under the tree.
There were also some council caretaker committee chairmen, other government officials and top members of the state PDP and the deceased's teeming supporters.
A condolence register has been opened in the premises of the hotel for sympathisers to sign. Governor Alao-Akala, who had endorsed it, wrote: "Segelu, we shall miss you. May your gentle soul rest in peace. We shall fish out your killer by God's grace."
The governor subsequently announced a N10m cash reward for anybody with useful information that could lead to the tracking down of the killer. He described the murder of Oladimeji as political.
"There is no doubt about that. They are no armed robbers. They are hired killers and it is political in nature. It is just leadership tussle. He died among his people."
Adedibu, on his part, described the deceased as one of his close associates. He, too, attributed the killing to a political leadership tussle, disclosing, however, that the federal lawmaker was billed to see him yesterday.
Also last night, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mrs. Patricia Olubunmi Etteh, condemned the killing, describing it as unfortunate.
She described the late Oladimeji as a resourceful and amiable member of the House whose untimely death would be most felt at both the floor and plenary sessions of the House.
She prayed that the Almighty rest his soul and give his family and friends the fortitude to bear the loss.
Oladimeji, according to family sources, returned from Abuja on Thursday night ahead of his case before the election petitions tribunal, which held on Friday, and to attend a meeting of his party slated for yesterday at Ejioku.
But he could not make the meeting, as the gunmen shot him in the midst of his loyalists during a night out at his popular 'joint' at Ejioku.
His Personal Assistant, Isiaka Obideyi and his Senior Legislative Assistant, Peter Dairo, who were with him at the time of his death, revealed how the incident occurred.
According to them, two men had emerged from a bush near where the late lawmaker was entertaining a female friend, said to be a member of the caretaker committee in Lagelu local government.
The men had demanded to see 'Baba Agba.'
Unaware of the danger, Oladimeji told his aides, who were questioning the men on why they wanted to see him, to step aside and allow the strangers access to him.
Thinking that the men were out to solicit financial assistance, Oladimeji introduced himself as the 'Baba Agba' and in a split second, the men reportedly pulled out their guns and shot him at close range.
They also shot at his aides, who sustained gunshot injuries. While Obideyi was shot in the arm, Dairo was hit in the wrist.
At the 'Segelu' Hotel yesterday, the two aides were seen being led into a waiting police vehicle, apparently to assist in the investigation process.
They were still in the same clothes they wore on the fateful day, as it was soaked with blood while their arms, wrists and legs were in bandage.
Obideyi, who fought back tears, said they were at the joint when the gunmen struck, adding that they were caught unawares at the scene.
He said: "I am the personal assistant to 'Segelu'. We were at our usual joint in Ejioku around 9.30pm when these two men came out from the nearby bush. It was dark, so I could not see their faces.
They started asking after 'Baba Agba' and when I tried to prevent them from moving forward, my boss stopped me and stood up to meet the men and introduced himself as the person they were asking for.
He apparently thought they were out to seek his support one way or the other. But before we knew what was happening, we heard gunshots and after shooting him, they aimed at us and we had to scamper for safety. I was not that lucky, as
I received gunshots on my arm and leg."
Dairo said he had to crawl from the scene to escape the assassins' bullet.
While relieving his father's last moments, Lekan, the eldest son of the deceased, said his father was in town for the monthly constituency meeting of his party, which was shifted from Tuesday to Saturday, on the request of deceased, to enable him attend.
The younger Oladimeji, who is the supervisory councillor for Education in Lagelu local government, said he had attended a site early on Friday with his father.
Thereafter, the late politician went to the funeral ceremony of one of his friends' father before retiring to Ejioku, where he never returned alive.
The police, headed by the Assistant Commissioner, Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Mr. Taiwo Lakano, led a team of detectives to confer with both Governor Alao-Akala and Adedibu at the hotel premises.
Lakano emerged from the meeting with the governor, to tell reporters that the Police were working on some leads that would help to track down the killers. He, however, denied the arrest of any suspect in connection with the murder.
But the state Police Commissioner, Udom Ekpoudom, said that five persons had been arrested by the police in connection with Oladimeji's death and assured that the perpetrators of the act would be brought to book as soon as possible.
At the residence of the slain lawmaker, mourners surrounded and consoled his three wives, Janet, Bimpe and Adenike, as they fought back tears.
Janet, who spoke on behalf of the others, said the news of the death was broken to her and the two other wives by their children living abroad, who were already informed of the development.
From Iyabo Lawal, Ibadan
The Guardian
Sunday, September 16, 2007
