HOW APPRENTICE BARBER DIED – FIRM

Lagos—A Nigerian firm, Owoeye and Owoeye Nigeria Ltd, has described as false and misleading, reports  that a policeman from Sango-Ota Police Area, Ogun State, killed an apprentice barber, Bidemi Akinde, on the instruction of one Alhaji Mutairu Owoeye.

Public Relations Manger of the organisation, Mr Alex Oni, in a statement, yesterday, in Lagos, said that Bidemi was felled by bullets from the barrels of the guns of hoodlums and thugs in army uniform led by a suspected leader of the Eiye confraternity, simply identified as ‘One Hour’.

The statement said Owoeye’s present travail started when he was appointed an estate agent in respect of a vast expanse of land at Oke-Ore in Ado-Odo, Ota Local Government area of Ogun State by the customary owners of the land, who were also adjudged owners of the land by virtue of judgment of court in suit no number HTC/392/05 delivered by Justice Mobolaji Ojo on April 10, 2014.

He said that as the land was occupied by illegal occupants, Owoeye decided to inform the occupiers of the judgement of the court in respect of the land as many may not be aware of it and to this effect, he printed a public notice to be pasted on the land as the debtors in the judgement are persons who have no respect for the law and are prone to violence.

The statement added that “Owoeye decided to seek Police protection to avoid an unpleasant scene. He forwarded a letter of assistance to the Police which was approved by the Inspector-General of Police, who directed the Ogun State Police Commissioner to treat the matter. The office of the Ogun State Police boss equally directed the Area Command at Sango to implement the directive.”

“Consequently, the Police assigned a team of Police officers led by one ASP Afolabi to assist Owoeye in carrying out the exercise. As Owoeye’s workers went about pasting the posters, the judgement debtors in the company of a large group of thugs numbering over 80 and accompanied by fake armed army officers in uniform led by “One Hour,” invaded the scene and started firing gunshots indiscriminately.

“Two of the escorting Policemen sustained serious wounds and the Police were forced to beat a retreat. Hours later, Owoeye’s residence at Attan, which was far from the scene was again invaded by armed thugs and fake army officers in uniform who fired indiscriminately, destroying everything on sight. The invading vandals made spirited attempt to abduct Owoeye, but for the timely intervention of the Police.

“In what appeared like a surprise twist of fate, Owoeye was arrested for allegedly causing the death of one Bidemi. There are questions begging for answers: would a man with intent to commit murder seek for Police assistance and go to the scene in the presence of a Police team?

“Again, who mobilized over 80 thugs and armed fake army officers within 10 minutes of the commencement of the exercise? Apparently, it was premeditated as the judgement debtors were aware of the impending exercise and were well prepared to resist it.”