Unknown gunmen on Friday night shot dead the 37-year-old councillor representing Ado Ward 9 at the Ado Local Government Council, Deji Akeredolu, at the Onala area of Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital.
Akeredolu and his wife were said to have alighted from a motorbike at the junction to their house around 10pm when the gunmen fired shots at him from the back.
The victim, who was among the elected local government officials suspended by Ekiti State House of Assembly a fortnight ago, was said to be a personal assistant to the Peoples Democratic Party deputy governorship candidate in the July 21 governorship election in the state, Deji Ogunsakin.
His traumatised wife, who shouted for help, was said to have fainted shortly after her husband was shot.
Although she was revived, she is said to still be receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital in the state capital as she fainted again on Saturday when the remains of her husband were to be interred.
A source at the Onala area said on Sunday that the assailants, who were waiting at the junction in a Camry car, opened fire on the unsuspecting victim, and shot him twice.
The source said, “After the gunshots, the first thing we noticed was that the Camry car that had been parked at the junction sped off recklessly. Next was the shout for help by the victim’s wife.
“We rushed to the scene and found the councillor in a pool of his blood. We rushed him to the hospital where he was confirmed dead.”
The victim’s 72-year-old retiree father, Jacob Akeredolu, who said policemen from the Okeila Division in Ado-Ekiti, brought the remains of his second son to his house at the Bojuri area of the state capital on Friday night, confirmed that Deji was buried on Saturday.
The father, who described the slain son as the breadwinner of the extended family, ruefully stated, “Deji was an easy-going, kind-hearted and lovely son. I don’t know why this should happen.”
The PDP deputy governorship candidate, Ogunsakin, who spoke with journalists on the telephone, said the killing of his aide was a sad development, as he decried the security situation in the state.
He stated, “The crime rate in the state now is at alarming. Within a week, no fewer than four different killings of innocent people by bandits have occurred. The state governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, should ensure that the situation is tackled.
“I am also calling on the Commissioner for Police, Bello Ahmed, to address the situation as Ekiti State is no longer safe for the residents.”
When contacted on the telephone on Sunday, the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Caleb Ikechuwu, said he had not been briefed on the murder.
“I’m yet to be briefed. Once I am briefed, I will let you know. I am not telling you that I am not aware, but I have yet to be properly briefed. This is my response as the PPRO of the state command,” Ikechukwu stated.
