Femi Ashekun/
Neighbours at the Bodija-Ashi area of Ibadan home of a former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Oyo State, Peter Odetomi, have explained why his wife, Mrs Olayemi Odetomi, was shot and killed by armed robbers who invaded the neighbourhood on Friday.
Some residents of the area, who spoke to NewsmakersNG on the condition of anonymity, said the 66-year-old was shot after raising the alarm in an ill-fated attempt to stop the robbers from breaking into her house.
According to them, the deceased, who was unaware that the robbers had successfully attacked other residents before getting to her house, began shouting for help as they were trying to break down her front door.
The robbers were believed to have been angered by her actions, hence, their decision to kill her.
NewsmakersNG also learnt that another pregnant victim narrowly escaped being killed after she was shot at for hesitating to hand over her iPhone to the robbers.
The decisive intervention of her husband who quickly surrendered the phone reportedly saved her life after the first shot narrowly missed her.
Another resident said she instructed her daughter to hide somewhere in the house for fear that she could be raped, while she and her two sons surrendered to the robbers and gave them everything they asked for.
There have been claims in some quarters that the ex-commissioner’s wife was assassinated.
But the Police Public Relations Officer in Oyo State, Adewale Osifeso, also confirmed that the incident was a robbery.
He said in a statement, “The deceased, Olayemi Odetomi, aged 66, died on the spot after being shot during a robbery incident which occurred during the early hours of Friday, June 25, 2021 in her home. Updates on investigations would be provided in due course.”
The deceased’s husband, who was a former chairman of Ogbomoso South Local Government Area of Oyo State, served as a commissioner during the administration of the late governor Abiola Ajimobi.
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