The Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Williams, has declared that nobody died in the robbery attack that occured around Bodija Railway Junction axis on Friday afternoon.
He said this to clear the air on the report that the victim of the robbery incident was killed during the attack, adding that, on the contrary, the victim is alive and receiving treatment from a gunshot in the right toe.
The Commissioner of Police stated this in a release, AZ: 5250/OY/PPRO/VOL.6/159, dated 12 November, 2022, by the Oyo Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Adewale Osifeso.
It was stated in the police press release, titled “Re: Bodija Ojurin Robbery Attack And Purported Death Of Victim”, thus:
“The Oyo State Police Command wishes to clear the air about the aforementioned shooting incident that occurred around Bodija Railway Junction axis of Ibadan North Local Government Area, today Friday 11/11/2022 around 1445hrs (2:45pm) local time.
“Preliminary findings revealed that the victim, Abubakar Ibrahim ’m’, was trailed by his assailants after completing a business transaction within the metropolis and was returning back to his base at Akinyele Market, Akinyele Local Government Area, Oyo State.
“Furthermore, in a bid to hasten his trip back home by avoiding the traffic build-up situation on the Expressway, he opted for a shorter isolated route from where he was eventually accosted by hoodlums on a motorcycle who then shot him on the side of his right toes with the intent to impede his mobility before dispossessing him of the cash sum of (#270,000) Two hundred and Seventy thousand Naira Only afterwards.
“Thankfully no life was lost as he is presently recuperating from the incident.”
The police further stated that investigations are in top gear to identify, track and apprehend the assailant “with the assurances of providing updates as the case progresses.”
In another development, the Oyo State Police Command has alerted members of the public, particularly residents of the state of a sudden proliferation of Point of Sales (POS) terminal operators across the state.
The state police image-maker, SP Adewale Osifeso, stated this in the press release quoted above, noting that the sole aim of these POS terminal operators “is to criminally conspire with unscrupulous elements to redistribute financial proceeds from criminal dealings.”
He said the development was discovered through purposeful-led intelligence and enjoined members of the public to exercise extreme vigilance and caution in their dealings during any “outside the banking hall operations.”
Osifeso said it would not be out of place to validate every transaction process by demanding from the operators: identity cards, Certificate of Incorporation from the Cooperate Affairs Commission and other relevant approved documents of authentication from their legally-recognised associations.
“The Commissioner of Police, CP Adebowale Williams, promises to clamp-down heavily on any individual or group whose intent is to truncate the relative tranquility maintained in the State.
“In cases of emergency, the Command can always be reached through these emergency control room numbers: 615 (toll free) (OYO STATE SECURITY TRUST FUND) and Oyo State Police Command emergency lines 07055495413 and 08081768614.
“The NPF rescue me app is also available for free download on both Android and Apple IOS, for Android and i-Phone users, respectively,” he added.