How Olaitan was assassinated, by Edo government

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The Edo state government has provided details revealing how the governor’s Principal Private Secretary, Olaitan Oyerinde, was assassinated in the early hours of Friday by gunmen.

Mr. Oyerinde, 44, was shot dead by who invaded his house in Ugbor area, Benin City around 1 a.m.

According to a narrative issued by Tony Iyare, special adviser, media affairs the Governor Adams Oshiomole, the gunmen were four and their first action after invading the deceased’s premises was to incapacitate his guards.

“They bounded the security guard while two of them forced their way through the front door and made straight for his bedroom,” Mr Iyare said.

In the bedroom the assassins found Mr. Oyerinde’s brother-in-law, rather than the victim, sleeping on the bed. After learning the identity mismatch, “they immediately left him and went for the wife, Funke, asking her to lead them to the husband who, unknown to them, was sleeping in the living room.”

Mr Iyare said the assassins instantly fired four shots – one to the head, chest, abdomen and hip – on sighting their target, killing Mr. Oyerinde instantly.

“The gunmen later fled without taking anything from the house,” Mr Iyare said.

Chronology of attacks

The killing of Mr. Oyerinde comes exactly six days after Governor Oshiomhole’s convoy was attacked along Warrake-Auchi road, by a truck that curiously veered off its track and headed straight for the staff car, missing it by the whiskers.

Three journalists were killed while others including security details, sustained various degree of injuries in the accident the government believe was prearranged by members of the opposition party.

According to Mr Iyare, the accident was followed, at about 2.45am the following day, by an attack on the home of the Information Commissioner, Louis Odion.

His home “was also invaded by four gunmen who a missed him because he opted to pass the night in a friend’s house located in another part of the city”.

A member of the Edo State House of Assembly, Johnson Oghuma, was also similarly attacked by gunmen recently, Mr Iyare said.

Mr Oghuma represents Etsako Central and had his car riddled with bullets as he was on his way to Fugar, his hometown.

Members of the Edo government believe they have become targets of assassins paid by yet to be determined opposition members. At a press briefing last Sunday, the information commissioner raised fears that top government functionaries were listed for elimination.

“This sequence of sordid events coming each time on the eve of the flag off of Governor Oshiomhole’s campaign, raises grave concern and therefore demands thorough investigation by the security forces,” Mr Iyare said.