Police raise high-powered team to probe Oshiomhole’s aide’s murder

By Our Reporter 

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Late Olaitan Oyerinde and Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State

The Force Headquaters, Abuja, has dispatched a high-powered team of detectives to get to the root of the Friday assassination of Mr. Olaitan Oyerinde, Principal Private Secretary to Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State.

Oyerinde, 44, was shot dead in his Benin residence early on Friday by a four-man gang.

The detectives are already in the Edo State capital for the assignment.

They are expected to interview relations and colleagues of the deceased and look at documents and other exhibits that may help their investigation.

Governor Oshiomhole had, on Friday, given the police a 14-day ultimatum to find Oyerinde’s killers failing which he vowed to resort to self-help.

He also told the police to probe the circumstances surrounding the April 28th road crash involving his convoy on the Afuze-Auchi Road.

Three journalists on the governor’s entourage died in that crash after a tipper coming from the opposite direction veered off its course and rammed into the convoy. Oshiomhole himself narrowly escaped death in the crash.

The governor told a group of sympathisers protesting Oyerinde’s murder that a stop must be put to the effort of some people to undermine the security of the state.

His words: "I am giving the police 14 days from today (Friday) to produce the killers of Olaitan and to establish the killings of those journalists.

"If they do not do that, as the chief security officer of this state, I reserve all my options. This country will either fail or stand. Nobody can intimidate me. Even out of power, I was not intimidated."

He said he had submitted a petition to the State Police Commissioner Olayinka Balogun about a meeting held by some politicians where a plot was allegedly hatched to "intimidate my person and if possible to eliminate me."

"At that meeting, they said they would kill many of my personal staff and key leaders under the guise of armed robbery to pretend as if they are victims of kidnapping," he alleged.

Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State yesterday sent a letter of condolence to his Edo counterpart on the murder of Oyerinde.

Obi, who described the act as barbaric, reminded those behind the dastardly act of the sacredness of human life. He wondered why some people would opt to behave like men in the Cave Age rather than those who have been touched by the rays of civilization.

Obi assured Oshiomhole that the Government and people of Anambra State are with him at this grieving moment.

In a similar message, former governor of Benue State, Senator George Akume deplored "the torrent of unwarranted, dastardly attacks on your person and other members of your team of progressives."

According to Akume "It is heart rending that in the 21st century when politics the world over is issues based, a group of people will resort to senseless and barbaric destruction of lives.

"Less than a week ago, you escaped death by the whiskers in a very controversial motor mishap but lost a number of staff, among them reporters who are a major component of our democracy; and now a pillar around you is pulled down by heartless retrogressive elements.

"While I condole with you, I implore the security agencies to go the extra mile to uncover those behind these acts of criminality as they are capable of stalling peace and orderly conduct of the Governorship elections in Edo State."