LAGOS — There are indications that prominent marketing communications guru, Mr. Sesan Ogunro, Group Managing Director, Eminent Communications and Spot-On Media, might have been killed by a gang of small-time robbers who were out to steal cars. This could contradict speculations that his killers were hired assassins. Police sources disclosed that findings from their investigations so far revealed that Ogunro was a victim of a robbery gone bad.
A source who spoke to Vanguard on anonymity, said a visit to the crime scene, interviews from eyewitnesses and intelligence gathered so far, pointed to the fact that the robbers were immature, and could not control their anxiety.
According to the source, “we’ve been to the scene and we’ve spoken to eyewitnesses. It is obvious that the gunmen were small-time robbers and nobody would have hired such as an assassin.
Target was his Mercedes Benz SUV
“Their target was his Mercedes Benz SUV, but they felt threatened when he threw the key at the floor and they shot him. I see no reason why they would have done such.
“When we visited the scene, we recovered the expended cartridge that was used and we believed that it was fired from a locally-made gun.”
Spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, Ngozi Braide, a Deputy Superintendent, said the command was on the trail of the bandits.
In a statement, she said: ”About 22:42 hours on December 22, a distress call was received by the Alausa Division of the Police Command. It was gathered that four armed men operating in a Honda Odyssey attempted to snatch a Mercedes Benz ML SUV belonging to Mr Ogunro.
“The man resisted and threw away the key of the SUV, hence the armed men shot him. They abandoned the Honda Odyssey and escaped with a red Toyota Yaris car belonging to the wife, who was standing with him at the scene.
“The scene was visited immediately by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) and a team and the incident was confirmed. The DPO also visited the victim at the Lagoon Hospital where he was receiving treatment, though in critical critical.”
She said none of the relatives had made statement on the incident.
The Police spokesperson explained that the Honda Odyssey was confirmed to have been snatched from somebody identified as Ali Balogun at Ebute-Metta at 8pm.
The owner was reportedly dropped off at Jobi-Fele Way in Alausa, Ikeja, from where she was taken to the station.
Braide said the police had begun investigation into the incident and the search for the fleeing hoodlums.
Vanguard further gathered that Ogunro sighted the bandits harassing his wife and children in the Toyota Yaris car they came in at the entrance of their church, the International Church of Christ, along Jobi-Fele Way in Alausa, where he attended a Christmas Carol service.
After the attack, the killers were said to have thrown out Ogunro’s son and grandchildren from the rear of the car before speeding off with it.
They were also said to have abandoned the car they originally came in, which is now in the custody of the police at the Alausa Police Station.
Our source also stated that the slain Ogunro was first rushed to the Lagoon Hospital on Obafemi Awolowo Way, Ikeja, before he was transported in an ambulance to the hospital’s headquarters in Apapa for special attention.
Ogunro shot with dane gun
”You know because he was shot with a dane gun, the pellets spread all around his stomach and perforated his internal organs.
Fashiola consoles family
Meanwhile, Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, yesterday, paid a condolence visit to the Ogunro family, describing the late advertising guru as a man with a truly restless spirit and master of his art.
Fashola, who was at Ogunro’s Ogudu GRA residence, was received by the widow, Mrs. Dupe Ogunro and the children of the deceased.
Some of the children present during the visit were Mrs. Damilola Gbadebo-Ogunro, Mr. Timayo Ogunro and Miss Fade Ogunro.
Fashola at the occasion added that his administration and indeed the Nigerian nation have lost a most resourceful personality who will surely be missed by all.
Said he: “On behalf of my wife, Dame Emmanuella, the Government and people of Lagos State, please accept my condolences and be assured that we are in prayers with you and members of your family for the peaceful repose of the soul of your husband and for the Almighty God to grant you the fortitude to bear this loss.”
Source: Vanguard
