Gunmen attack construction company site, injure two in Ondo

Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers on Wednesday night invaded and attacked a construction company, Craneburg Construction Company, in Owo, headquarters of Owo Local Government of Ondo state, injuring two people, Rifum Lawrence and Abraham Opara during the attack

The heavily armed suspected kidnappers arrived at the construction site around 10 pm and opened fire on the premises, damaging the windscreen of the trailers at the construction site and thereafter, bolted away immediately.

According to a source, who said the gunmen were at the construction site to kidnap the expatriates working on the site but the attempt was foiled by some of the workers at the site.

He recalled that one of the expatriates was abducted in May this year while his driver and the security operatives attached to him were killed by the hoodlums, saying negotiation is still ongoing to secure the release of the man.

He, however, disclosed that the gunmen used the Improvised Explosive Device to burst into some of the vehicles within the premises, destroying some vehicles in the process.

He said two workers of Craneburg Construction Company who were hit by bullets by the unknown gunmen at the construction site were rushed to the Federal Medical Center, Owo.

He said the two staff members were injured by shots fired by the kidnappers when trying to gain access to the company’s premises

He said the two men injured during the attack had been taken to the hospital and said they are responding to treatment.

Narrating how providence saved him from being killed after he was shot, one of the victims, Lawrence, said he escaped the attack miraculously, explaining that he fell into the gutter after being shot by the hoodlums

He said, “It was late in the evening and I just finished my dinner and went to take my bath. I came out for fresh air near the gate and I was shot by these people.

My brother was also shot too and we didn’t even know where the gunshots were coming from, my brother and i were shot.

When i was hit with the bullet, I fell inside the gutter and I started crawling. So we got to the main road and I saw an okada rider who took me to the hospital.

” I didn’t know their number, but I know they were many, I just saw them with guns, don’t know their numbers or how they entered”

Confirming the attack, the Commander of the Ondo state Security Network Agency, Amotekun Corps, Chief Adetunji Adeleye, said he had visited the site to assess the level of destruction by the gunmen.

He said: “I am just leaving the scene now where I went to assess the situation and I realized that the two security men on the ground were injured as the attackers shot into the premises.

“They got the windscreen of the Caterpillar of the construction company damaged and the injured men have been receiving treatment at a nearby hospital.

“But I can assure you that by the grace of God, the situation has been brought under control and I urge everyone to go about their normal businesses.

Meanwhile, the police in the state also confirmed the attack and confirmed that an Improvised Explosive Device was used during the attack saying the IED burst the tyre of a tractor at the scene of the crime.

In a statement by the State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Funmilayo Odunlami said men of the state police command responded promptly to the attack.

Odunlami said in the statement “the shooting incident occurred at about 10 pm of Wednesday 27th July 2022 and was promptly responded to by Officers covering the jurisdiction.

“At the scene, the officers met the duo of one Rifum Lawrence aged 50 years, and Abraham Opara aged 45 years old, with bullet wounds.
They were immediately taken to the Federal Medical Centre in Owo where they were admitted and are currently in stable condition.

“The Commissioner of Police equally led investigative operatives and officers of the Explosive Ordinance Department (EOD) – Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and high yield Explosives (CBRNE) also known as Anti-Bomb Squad to the scene for an on-the-spot assessment.

“The Anti Bomb squad confirmed that an Improvised Explosive Device was used to burst a tractor tyre at the scene of the crime”

She however said “the Ondo State Commissioner of Police, Oyeyemi Oyediran has sued for calm while encouraging well-meaning residents of Ondo State to cooperate with the Police in the course of investigations into a shooting incident that happened at the Craneburg Construction Company site in Owo town.

“The Command urge the people of the state to be calm as the affected area has been cordoned and investigation has commenced unravelling the mystery behind the incident.

“In the same vein, the command is using this medium to warn those who do not know the real situation of things not to cause unnecessary panic within the state by peddling unconfirmed stories relating to the incident.”

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