Attempted assassination: How Inspector saved CEO’s life

By Juliana Francis
Following the 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 as dead as dodo.
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.