Bolaji Sunday, a commercial driver, was taken to the hospital after allegedly being shot by two soldiers who have not yet been identified for parking his vehicle in front of the Oriental Transport Company around the Magboro Bus Stop in the Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State. Sunday is currently being treated for his injuries.
t Sunday got in his car and drove to the location in order to meet the individual who was supposed to put him in touch with a client.
Sunday stopped and parked his vehicle as soon as he reached the front of the company, which was reportedly guarded by soldiers.
When the leader of the soldiers confronted the driver about parking at the location, it was said that he was on his way to meet the person who wanted to connect him with his customer.
In the midst of Sunday’s attempts to explain the situation, our correspondent overheard the two soldiers ordering him to sit in the gutter and demanding the key to Sunday’s vehicle.
After the soldiers realised that the driver was still attempting to explain his reasoning at the location rather than complying with the order, they descended on Sunday and shot two of the vehicle’s tyres.
While writhing in pain on a sickbed at the Real Divine Hospital in the Ibafo area of the Obafemi Owode LGA, the driver told our correspondent that he started running in an attempt to protect his life. He added that one of the soldiers allegedly shot him in the back while he was running. The driver is currently in the Ibafo area of the Obafemi Owode LGA.
He explained, “I came out on Saturday to meet the person who will give me the number of the customer I was to carry on the following day.” As a result, I brought my car to a location close to the Magboro Bridge and parked it there. When I was on my way to meet the person, the commander of the soldiers questioned why I had parked my bus in that location and asked for the key to the vehicle. After some time, he instructed me to take a seat inside the gutter.
“I did not steal anything; I was just waiting for my customer when they arrived.” However, before I even knew what was happening, they began beating me with a belt. They shot two of my tyres and broke my windscreen when I tried to hold the belt while they were driving. I quickly dropped to the ground and began to flee for my life, but the soldiers shot me in the back, and I fell into the gutter.
“As I was falling into the gutter, I began yelling for assistance, but no one came to save me because they were terrified. After some time had passed, a driver who was heading to Ibadan in the state of Oyo offered assistance to me. My driver pulled me out of the gutter and took me to the hospital immediately afterward. They shot me in the back and in the arm; the bullet went through me and exited on the opposite side of my body.
While our correspondent was at the hospital assessing Sunday’s condition, she noticed that he appeared pale and had bandages tied around his neck and chest. In addition to that, approximately six drip containers were hung next to him.
Sunday’s wife, Oluwatosin, who has expressed her sadness over her husband’s condition, stated that despite her husband’s pleas to the soldiers to allow him to drive the vehicle away from the location, the soldiers allegedly refused and shot him. Sunday’s wife expressed her sadness over her husband’s condition.
“My husband just wanted to collect the number of one of his customers at the location where he parked his vehicle,” she explained to me. “He parked his vehicle here.” However, the soldiers suddenly appeared and instructed him to take a seat in the gutter.
“I wondered what he did wrong; he begged them to let him drive his bus away from there, but the next thing the soldiers did was burst his tyres,” she said. “I wondered what he did wrong. My husband was killed by the soldiers when he made an attempt to escape by running away from them. Additionally, his windscreen was shattered by the soldiers.
In the photographs that our correspondent possessed, it was possible to see that Sunday’s vehicle had sustained damage to both its windscreen and door. Glass shards were scattered all over the floor of the bus, along with broken pieces of one of the deflated tyres.
After some time had passed, our reporter went to the location of the attack in order to speak with those who had witnessed it.
A motorcyclist who identified himself only as Jubril stated that the soldiers may be protecting a company that is located close to the Magboro Bridge. He also stated that Sunday may have parked unknowingly close to the company.
He went on to say that the driver shouldn’t have gotten into an argument with the soldiers. If I were in that situation, I think I would just plead with them and then leave. I don’t blame the driver, and I don’t agree with what the soldiers did, but I don’t think that he (Sunday) should have gotten into a fight with them.
In response to the new information, the Officer in Charge of Public Relations for the State Police, Omolola Odutola, stated that efforts were being made to locate the fleeing soldier who shot the victim.
She explained that the incident took place at the Magboro Bus Stop, which is where the vehicles owned by Oriental Transport Company are typically parked. After being asked by the soldiers attached to the company to move the vehicle he had parked in front of the company away, Bolaji Sunday, 35, got into an argument with one of the soldiers, and then that soldier fired him.
“Sunday was taken by ambulance to the hospital, where the Divisional Police Officer is now in contact with him. He is also showing signs of improvement as a result of the treatment.” Residents were appeased to remain calm while efforts are ongoing to track the unidentified fleeing soldier. “No other available information has reached the police as to the real reason for that extent of provocation; residents were appeased to remain calm while efforts are ongoing to track the unidentified fleeing soldier.”
After being contacted on Monday, Lt. Colonel Olabisi Ayeni, the spokesperson for the 81 Division of the Nigerian Army, stated that he would investigate the situation and get back to our correspondent with any new information.
“Please be patient with me; I need some time to investigate what actually took place. “Give me a moment to look into it, and I’ll get back to you with my findings,” he told our correspondent.
There was no response on Tuesday to any of the calls placed to Ayeni’s mobile number in an effort to obtain an update on the investigation.
