Contraband-seeking soldiers kill Ogun bizman, mob lynches officer

Pandemonium broke out on Sunday in Owode-Idi-Iroko, Yewa South Local Government Area of Ogun State when some soldiers allegedly shot a resident dead.

Our correspondent gathered that an angry mob, in a reprisal, attacked and hacked an innocent Air Force officer to death shortly after the soldiers left the scene.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the soldiers came from Badagry, Lagos, in an alleged search of contraband.

They later shot the victim, 30-year-old Saheed Egusi, in the head.

Egusi, a 30-year-old businessman, was reportedly killed for challenging the soldiers who were dragging his elder brother.

The soldiers reportedly stormed Owode Market and broke some shops in search of contraband goods and carted away bags of rice.

A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the incident, explained that the deceased was shot dead when the soldiers were leaving the scene.

The eyewitness said, “The soldiers said they were from Badagry. This is not their first time of coming here. We were surprised that soldiers would come to seize bags of rice instead of Customs men.

“They came and started beating people. The person that was killed was the younger brother of the person that was beaten; he wasn’t the owner of the goods; he was asking them to take it easy.

“So, as the soldiers were going, he also took his car and went his way. So, the leader of the soldiers told his guys to shoot Egusi, and the soldiers shot him in the forehead.

“His brother is in the hospital because he was injured.

“The boy that was killed, I am like a street brother to him; he was a good boy.”

The situation took another turn shortly after the soldiers left as a mob sighted an Air Force officer, who was driving along the road.

He was reportedly stopped, dragged out of the car and beaten to death.

Confirming the incident, the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Oyeyemi, said the command had begun an investigation into the incident.

He said, “The most unfortunate thing is that the angry mob took the law into their hands and an unsuspecting Air Force officer that was going innocently was mobbed and killed in retaliation for the murder of a man in their community by an unknown soldier.

“We are investigating all. As we are making efforts to get the soldiers, don’t forget that some people also killed an innocent officer. For this reason, those who had a hand in the killing of the Air Force officer will be brought to book as well. However, the situation has been brought under control.”

(Punch)