CRIME

Hoodlums Shoot Graduate Dead While Looting Employer’s Properties

Published

5 days ago

October 27, 2020

Victor Okoroafor

A staff of Tuns Farms Nigeria, in Osogbo, Osun State, Abdul Rasheed Olawale Aderogba was killed by hoodlums who invaded and looted properties of the company on Saturday, October 26, under the pretext of EndSARS protest.

The hoodlums armed with knives, cutlasses and other dangerous weapons stormed the popular farm belonging to a renowned business mogul and the Chairman of Osun State Palliatives Committee, Alhaji Tunde Badmos and made away with valuable items after shooting the worker.

Managing Director of the company, Mr Taofeek Badmus, who confirmed the incident in a statement on Sunday, October 25, said the deceased, a graduate of Animal Production and Health from the Federal University of Technology, Akure, was shot dead by the rampaging hoodlums because he could recognise most of them and their instigators.

“I regretfully inform that during the chaos my personal assistant Mr Abdul-Rasheed Olawale a young, vibrant, dedicated, and intelligent member of my team died as a result of a gunshot wound, he was mainly attacked due to what we suspect that he could identify most of the looters and their instigators. We pray that the soul of the departed rest in peace,” said Mr Badmus.

Badmus also said many employees were attacked and seriously injured by the hoodlums. See full statement below:

“At about 8 am Saturday 24th October 2020, hoodlums invaded our facility at Tuns International Holdings Limited Tuns Farms Nigeria Ltd. at Km9 Ikirun Road, Osogbo Osun State while we were having our daily business activities as usual.

”Reports have it that they came in search of palliatives and COVID-19 relief materials in our warehouses. On their arrival, we made efforts to let them know that there was no Covid-19 palliative stored at our warehouses but rather some mosquitoes net were being stored by the Ministry of Health Osun which were been shared across the state.

”The situation took another dimension when they started to break into our other facilities which were our Biscuit production unit, Bakery and Further Processing Units, and our Bottled water facility where they carted away with our raw materials, finished products, gadgets, machines and valuable assets of the company.

”Our members of staff who were sighted while attending to their duties were attacked, beaten and seriously injured.

“I regretfully inform that during the chaos my personal assistant Mr Abdul-Rasheed Olawale a young, vibrant, dedicated, and intelligent member of my team died as a result of a gunshot wound, he was mainly attacked due to what we suspect that he could identify most of the looters and their instigators (we pray that the soul of the departed rest in peace)

“While we are yet to ascertain the final value of our losses and damages on the facilities as a whole, we had in stock over N150 million worth of finished goods & raw materials not taking into consideration damages of our machinery & equipment which were carted away, damages to the building and other infrastructures are yet to be ascertained.

“We further wish to reemphasize that no Government palliatives or COVID-19 relief materials were stored at our facilities as all damages, looting and vandalism were properties of Tuns International Holdings.

Meanwhile friends, colleagues and family have taken to Facebook to mourn the deceased. Oluwasimidele Ifeoluwa Joy confirmed that the hoodlums shot Rasheed because they thought he could recognise them.

She wrote:

“24th October,2020… You went about your daily business. Hoodlums looted the farm you work at TUNS FARM OSOGBO. After stealing all they could – flour, sugar, biscuits,”

“What other thing did they do? Cut short your life by shooting you. You never struggled with them neither did you argue with them. They shot at you with the thoughts of saying you knew them and would easily recognize them.

“They killed you Nigeria killed you Olawale Rasheed Aderogba. I cannot remember the last time I felt this way. It’s hard to take in. We will miss you. I will miss you. Everyone you had a part in their lives will miss you. Rest on RATIO. It’s hard to take in. To think that I texted you to stay safe. But I never knew that safety was no where around you”