OAU lecturer assassinated

Gunmen have shot dead a lecturer in the Department of Agricultural Economics at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Dr Deji Adejobi.

The deceased is also the elder brother of the Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Olumuyiwa Adejobi. The assassins invaded Adejobi’s house at the Tollgate area of Ile-Ife on Tuesday night and shot him twice in the chest.

One of the children of the late lecturer, Oyin Adejobi, said: “Dad drove into the compound a few minutes after we concluded our evening prayer. That was at 10:05pm.

Some people trailed him into the compound. “I later overheard a hot argument between the gateman and some people which made me to peep through the window. I saw a black car which entered our compound behind dad’s car.

“From the window, I heard our gateman questioning the occupants of the car of their mission in the house. But instead of responding, they came out of the car and beat the gateman with machetes. “They also hit him with other sharp objects, ordered him to lie down and started to beat him.

“The men in the black car came out before dad could alight from his car and one of them shot into the air. Two of them advanced towards dad’s car while others came inside.

Grandma started begging those that came inside. Suddenly, we heard gunshots twice outside.” According to him, the assailants left at 10:20pm and took the lecturer’s car away. He added: “I overheard dad begging them that they should not take him away. When they left, we thought they took him away and we started praying for his safety without knowing that he had been killed.

“When the police came, they saw his body in the flower.” The younger brother of the deceased, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, expressed sadness over the incident. He promised that the police would do their best to get to the root of the matter.

When contacted, the Osun State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mrs Folashade Odoro, vowed that the police would fish out the killers. Odoro described the incident as horrible and inhuman.

The OAU Public Relations Officer, Mr Abiodun Olanrewaju, commiserated with the Adejobi family and prayed to God to give them the fortitude to bear the loss. He said: “It is unfortunate that university lecturers have become the target of kidnappers, armed robbers and assassins.”