OSOPADEC Chairman’s Driver Shot, Vehicle Snatched in Akure.
The driver to the Chairman of the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC), Mr. Samuel Bernard, sustained gunshot and machete injuries in an armed robbery incident that occurred in Akure on Monday evening.
Mr. Godwin Ewata, the Information Officer of OSOPADEC, confirmed the development in a statement issued to Starnews NG. According to him, Bernard had just returned from an official assignment in the riverine areas of the state, where he had accompanied the Chairman.
Ewata explained that shortly after dropping off the official vehicle, Bernard drove home in his personal car. He was reportedly ambushed by armed assailants who shot him, inflicted a machete wound on his head, and subsequently made away with his vehicle.
The robbers, Ewata added, also took possession of the keys to the Chairman’s car as well as some sensitive documents that Bernard had kept beside him. However, community members, alerted by Bernard’s distress calls, mobilised swiftly. Through the aid of a tracking device installed in the vehicle, the stolen car, its keys, and documents were recovered.
Bernard was immediately rushed to the State General Hospital, where medical investigations, including an X-ray, were conducted before treatment was administered. Ewata confirmed that he is now in stable condition and recuperating.
The incident has heightened concerns regarding security in Akure and its environs. While commending the proactive role of residents in assisting the victim and recovering the stolen property, Ewata noted that investigations by local security operatives remain ongoing. At the time of reporting, no arrests had been made.
