Why Hired Assassins attacked the Young Shall Grow boss ruthlessly

•Fingers point at popular auto-dealer in Lagos
•Family wants transfer of investigation from Festac police

If those that wanted to snuff life out of the philanthropic and amiable popular transporter and Chairman of Young Shall Grow Motors, Chief Vincent Obianodo, had succeeded, his last words on earth could have been the wild exclamation which he uttered as soon as the hoodlums started firing volleys of bullets into his car, penultimate Tuesday.

Following that  horrible gun attack on the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), of  ‘The Young Shall Grow Motors’, Chief Vincent Obianodo a few days ago, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Prince Umar Manko, has ordered Festac Police Division, to, as a matter of urgency, fish out all perpetrators involved in the attempted assassination of Obianodo.

Meanwhile, praises have continued to trail the gallantry exhibited by Mr. Simon Ogbueshi, the Police Inspector, attached to Obianodo. If not for the Inspector’s quick intervention, Obianodo, by now, would have been dead by now.

An eye witness had said of the attack on Obianodo: “from the way the gunmen attacked the CEO, it was obvious that they were determined to kill him at all cost.”

It will be recalled that on August, 28, 2013, suspected assassins, trailed Obianodo from his office, to his home at Festac. Just as he was about to enter his home, the gunmen appeared out of the blues and opened fire on him.

Police Spokesperson, Ngozi Braide, later said:  “Obianodo was attacked at 22 Road Festac Town. The hoodlums opened fire at him and his driver was shot dead. Obianodo was shot on the hand and the police corporal with him was killed.  A patrol team heard sporadic gunshots and raced towards the direction the gun sounds were coming from. The bandits opened fire at the sight of the patrol team. Our men retaliated and the place was like a battlefield. When the dust settled, the police had shot dead two of the men and others escaped with bullet wounds. A Toyota Highlander Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV), which the killers came with, was covered with bullet holes. Police recovered one AK 47, one AK 49 rifles and eight magazines loaded with ammunition.”

As tension dies down and police continue with their investigations, fresh facts have emerged on the deadly attack of that fateful day and the heroic role played by the police inspector.

One of the facts stated that as soon as the gun battle ensured, with hails of bullets flying, Obianodo had apparently thought death was just seconds away and had cried out in Igbo language: ‘Dike Anaaaaa’ (The great man is gone).’

Sources said the armed police Inspector who was in front of the vehicle he was driving, a Lexus SUV, revealed that as soon as the gun-touting hoodlums blocked Obianodo’s car and started raining bullets into the CEO’s car, Obianodo who was earlier trying to dim his vehicle light for them, thinking they were just ordinary motorists, had exclaimed the Igbo words.

Sources said that after Obianodo was hit on the left shoulder, he laid flat on the steering wheel as bullets continued to fly.

The startled cry of alarm from Obianodo, seemed to galvanise the Police Inspector, Ogbueshi, who was sitting in front of his vehicle to action as he quickly reacted by releasing volleys of bullets from his own weapon towards bandits.

A police source revealed that Ogbueshi is attached to B.O.Ps, Patrol and Guard at the Lagos State Police Command, Ikeja and has been working with Obianodo for two years as a guard.

The source who described the action of the Inspector as ‘the only saving grace ‘ said as soon as the bandits blocked Obianodo’s car, they came out firing towards the two cars which were in a convoy.

The police source continued: “The shout from the Chairman moved Inspector Ogbueshi. He quickly used his body to act as shield for Obianodo. He said he took that risk because he could not think of allowing the transporter to be killed like a common chicken. That was why he shielded the Chairman who had already collapsed on the steering after he was hit by their bullets. Subsequently, Inspector Ogbueshi engaged the gunmen in a protracted gun duel. After sometime, Ogbueshi pretended as if he was dead. He simply lay on top of the Chairman. At that stage, one of the gunmen came out from their vehicle and slowly approached that of the Chairman with a view to finishing what they started. He was however unaware that Inspector Ogbueshi had a joker card up his sleeves. As soon as he approached the CEO’s car, the gallant Inspector released several shots into his large frame and he lay dead, clutching his AK 49 rifle, fully loaded gun. His gang members tried to sustain the firing and at that stage, the Inspector devised a new strategy. He tried to quickly slip out of the car, aimed at their driver and demobilize their vehicle. Unfortunately, as he was discreetly stepped out of the car, his legs slipped and he fell into a ditch.

“The ditch is so deep that it swallowed both the Inspector and his gun. While inside the ditch, he was still making frantic efforts to accomplish his mission while the attackers concentrated on shooting at both the Chairman’s car and his back up security van, which was occupied by two other policemen and the Chairman’s driver.

“Unfortunately, the gunmen succeeded in killing the police constable in the backup car and the driver before Inspector Ogbueshi managed and dragged himself from the ditch. By then Policemen from Festac Police Station were there. Ogbueshi stepped out of the hole and quickly joined in the battle again. He released another round of bullets into the suspects’ vehicle, thereby shattering the back windscreen of their car.”

It was also heard that sensing that the battle was almost lost, the gunmen quickly jumped into their car and sped off. It is believed that some of them must have been badly injured after the exchange of gunfire and could not have gone far if Obianodo’d security aides had received zuick back up from the police.

The Festac policemen were then showed two of the gunmen who were gunned down with their heavily loaded weapons. Six loaded magazines were seen inside the bag of the first dead suspect.

Interestingly, while policemen were still going through the contents of his bag, his phone started ringing. It was also recovered by the police.

The brave Inspector, who has served with the Nigeria Police Force for over 32 years, is from Udenu Local Government Area in Enugu State. He is married and has two children. Ogbueshi has a sprained angle to show for his deadly confrontation with death on that fateful August, 28, 2013.

Another police source said that the first gunman, who was gunned down, is a popular auto dealer, operating at the Amuwo Odofin area of Lagos State. It was also said that the late auto dealer had been frequently sighted in police circles.

The source added that the failed assassination of Obianodo might be due to a recent clash between a popular night club owner in the area and some policemen in Festac.

Obianodo was said to have intervened on behalf of the young Club owner, making it impossible for him to be intimidated or ran out of his business. This, the source continued, may not have gone well with some people, thus the attempt on his life.

Associates of Obianodo revealed that he had been flown out of the country last Monday to USA.

The associates also disclosed that a top Oba in Lagos State presently holidaying in London, played positive role in flying Obianodo out of the country for medical attention.

Friends and associates of Obianodo wished the case to be transferred out of Festac Division. Manko is however said to be monitoring the investigation and progress of the case the way a hawk monitors chickens.

 The brave Inspector who has served the force in different states of the federation for over 32 years is from Udenu L.G.A in Enugu State and is married with two children. Luckily, he had only a sprain on the leg after the deadly encounter.”

Investigations carried out by Crime Alert revealed that the first attacker that was gunned down is a popular auto dealer at Amuwo odofin area of Lagos State and is reputed to be seen frequently in police circles in the area. A source that refused to be named said also that the motive for trying to assassinate Chief Obianodo may not be far from recent clash between a popular night club owner in the area and the Police in Festac.

The transport magnate was reportedly said to have intervened on behalf of the young Club owner making it impossible for him to be intimidated or run out of his business. This, the source continued, may not have gone well with some people, hence the attempt on his life.

Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola (left) with Young Shall Grow Motors boss, Chief Vincent Obianodo, who is recuperating after the attack by  gunmen.

Close associates of the wounded Chief intimated Crime Alert that he was flown out of the country last Monday in an air ambulance to USA. The Chief was reported to have asked his aids after he recovered from the shock in a private hospital in Apapa, “why did they want to kill a man like me that is feeding not less than 10,000.00 Nigerians? Would they be able to feed all these people?” The associates also disclosed that a top Oba in Lagos State presently holidaying in London, played positive role in flying Chief Obianodo out of the country for better medical attention.

Restoration of sanity
They also said that the traditional ruler was shocked when he learnt of the ignoble role played by the police in Festac, both during and after the incident, and promised to take it up with police authorities in order to restore sanity in the area.

According to one of his associates, “we pleaded passionately with the respected Oba to help us and transfer the case out from Festac because we have no confidence in getting justice there.

We know that the commissioner of Police is a no-nonsense officer and he is not aware of the goings on in Festac police area, so we pleaded with the Oba to intervene on our behalf and we know that CP Manko, going by his track records, must crack this case in no distant time, if taken out from Festac.”

Meanwhile, Crime Alert gathered from Police sources that Lagos State Police boss, Umaru Manko has given the police in Festac matching orders to round up perpetrators of the act or face sanctions.

A similar but different ball game in Enugu

In March 2, 2013, a similar scenario played out in the coal city of Enugu after which the visiting Commissioner of Police, Kwara State, Mr. Chinwike Asadu was brutally mowed down..

The approach of his attackers was significantly similar to that of those that attempted to kill Chief Obianodo last week in Lagos.

Late Cp Asadu was on the wheel together with three armed police officers. He was approaching his residence when the gun-totting hoodlums blocked his car with theirs, approached and dragged him out of the car before noticing that the policeman at the back of the car was carrying an AK47 rifle.

Infuriated by the sight of danger, they subsequently opened fire thereby killing the Cp instantly before spraying bullet shots at the armed policemen at the back of the car. His guards miraculously survived the attack after sustaining varying degrees of injuries.

The only difference however, is that while the security aide with the CP waited for the attackers to wreak havoc before attempting to save his own life in spite of his vantage position, that of Chief Obianodo, Inspector Simon Ogbueshi, exhibited exceptional bravery by, not only protecting his boss with his frame, but reacted sharply and shot dead, one of the attackers that was approaching, armed with an AK49, to finish the job of killing his boss.