Gunmen kill Newswatch editor in Lagos

GUNMEN in two Sport Utility Vehicles shot an assistant editor with Saturday Newswatch newspaper, Mr. Toyin Obadina, on Friday in Ikorodu, a suburb in Lagos State.

PUNCH Metro learnt that although the 50-year-old indigene of Ogun State did not die on the spot, he died on Sunday after a surgery to remove the bullets lodged in his stomach.

The wife of the deceased, Biola, told our correspondent during an interview at her brother-in-law’s house in Ajuwon, Ogun State on Sunday that her husband did nothing to warrant the attack.

Biola, who spoke while fighting back tears, said, “Around 11.30pm on Friday, my husband was on his way back home. As a newspaper editor, he had informed me that he was finishing production late. He told me that on getting to Parafa end of Imota Road, opposite Aico company, two jeeps driving towards him on the other end of the road crossed his vehicle.

“He said when he realised that they were bandits, he immediately alighted from the vehicle and told them they could have anything they wanted. They collected all his money from him. He then begged them not to kill him, but one of them slapped him. They then shot him in the stomach.

“He attempted to run but he was shot in the stomach a second time before the robbers fled.”

PUNCH Metro learnt that some residents gathered around and were able to get a hold of Toyin’s phone.

It was learnt that they were able to obtain Toyin’s wife’s number and they informed her to rush down to the scene.

She said, “The scene was just about five minutes’ drive from my house, so I pleaded with a neighbour to accompany me and we rode in his car. On getting to the scene, I saw my husband injured. His ash-coloured Toyota Yaris was still at the scene, but we conveyed my husband into the neighbour’s car and drove to Ikorodu General Hospital.

“On getting to Ikorodu General Hospital, we were told that the case was severe and we took him in the car to Gbagada General Hospital where we were also told that the case was severe. We finally took him to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja.”

Biola said all through the journey, her husband remained conscious and was even speaking with her in the vehicle.

She said the father of her three children was taken into the theatre where a successful surgery was performed on him.

“I remained with my husband until 5.30am on Sunday when his brother said I should go home and bring some of his clothes. I was brought to his brother’s house instead and a few hours later, I was told that he gave up the ghost.

“I was surprised because the doctors had told us that after the surgery, my husband would feel ill for some days but on the fifth day, they would do a second surgery for him,” she said.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the aged and ill mother of the editor had not been informed of her son’s demise as of press time.

It was learnt that the victim was survived by three children, the eldest being only 12 years, while the youngest is five.

PUNCH Metro also learnt that the matter was being investigated at the Sagamu Road Division of the Nigeria Police Force.

The police, it was learnt, were unsure if the incident was an assassination or an armed robbery.

However, it was learnt that the gunmen also attacked someone in the same area that night and snatched the driver’s vehicle.

Meanwhile, the national and Lagos State council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists have condemned Toyin’s murder.

In a separate statement issued by its National Secretary, Shuaib Leman, the NUJ described the incident as a reminder of the vulnerability of media professionals and evidence that the Nigerian system had over the years failed to protect its citizens.

The chairman, Lagos NUJ, Deji Elumoye, wondered what happened to the billions of naira that had been put into the state’s security trust fund. He said more was needed to be done in the area of security of lives and property.