Assassins kill UNILAG security chief at beer parlour

Suspected assassins have killed the Head of Operations, Security Unit, University of Lagos, Mr. Sunday Adejumo.

The 50-year-old was shot dead at a beer parlour on Oyenuga Street in the Akoka area of Lagos on Friday evening.

Our correspondent learnt that Adejumo on the fateful night was in the joint with three of his friends when some strange faces stormed the pub.

They were said to have headed straight for their target where he sat and hit him in the chest, before firing shots at him.

The gunshots were said to have caused confusion in the area.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the deceased died some minutes later because he could not get help on time.

When our correspondent visited Akoka on Saturday, he observed that the area was quiet, while the beer parlour was locked.

A resident, who did not identify himself, said the owner of the drinking house had been arrested and was being interrogated at the Bariga Police Station.

He said, “The incident happened around 8.30pm on Friday. We suddenly heard gunshots and we all rushed into our different houses because we did not know what exactly happened.

“It was later we learnt that one of those in the beer parlour was killed.

“It was not a robbery because they did not steal anything or injure anybody else. Immediately they killed him, they left.”

A source, who pleaded anonymity, told our correspondent that Adejumo might have been killed by suspected cultists.

He said, “When the gang got in, they went to where he was sitting. They had different weapons, ranging from cutlasses to guns.

“One of them went to him, hit him in the chest and he fell down. He then brought out a gun and shot him point blank.

“On the table where he was drinking with his friends were a pay slip, his ATM cards and his car key.”

Our correspondent learnt from another source that the men wanted to go away with the deceased’s ash coloured Pathfinder, marked, Lagos APP 404 CM, but could not.

“We don’t know exactly what their intention was. But there were blood stains on the car and the car key also had blood stains. We suspected they wanted to drive it away, but abandoned it when they saw it was not responding,” he said.

Anotherpolice source told PUNCH Metro that the corpse of the deceased was taken to the police station late in the night from where it was taken to the Yaba mortuary.

It was learnt that Adejomo’s car and that of one of his friends with whom he went to the pub, were taken away by the police.

Our correspondent gathered that his three friends were also being interrogated.

A source said, “Since he had been going out to drink, he had never gone out with these friends. So, they are also suspects . Although one of them claimed to be injured during the incident, there may be more to it than meets the eye.”

The Deputy Police Public Relations Officer, Lelma Kolle, confirmed the incident.

He added that the Bariga Divisional Police Officer led his men to the scene where they found the deceased in a pool of blood.

He said, “Investigations revealed that the man parked his car a distance away from where he was drinking. The police also discovered that there was a blood stain on the car and the car key was found within the vicinity, also with blood stains. This can only mean that after they killed him, they attempted to go away with his car. They actually succeeded in opening the car because there were blood stains on the car seat. But the car did not move because of the security system in it.

“The owner of the bar has been arrested and he has made statements. We cannot categorically say whether this was a robbery or an assassination plot. The matter is still under investigation.”

Our correspondent called UNILAG, and a former registrar of the institution, Mr. Olu Sodimu said the school would call back.

However, an official of the university in the information department confirmed the shooting.

The official, who pleaded anonymity, said, “We heard that he went to a party with some of his friends and there were gunshots. He was one of the people hit during the incident. That was what we heard. We are not aware that he died. I am just hearing that from you and I will have to confirm that information by making calls.”

PUNCH