By Muftau Ogunyemi
The Police in Ondo State have confirmed the killing of a journalist, Mr Olubunmi Afuye and two others in a bank robbery at Ilara-Mokin in Ifedore Local Government of the state on Thursday.DSP Tee-Leo Ikoro, the Police Command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO), who confirmed the incident to newsmen, said that the suspected robbers also killed a policeman and motorcyclist.
It was learnt that Afuye was recently appointed the new Public Relations Officer of a private university in the town.
Afuye had worked with the Ondo State Radiovision Corporation (OSRC) and Orange FM before he resigned recently to join the university.
Eyewitnesses said that the robbers, whose operation at the commercial bank lasted for some time, escaped unchallenged with an undisclosed amount of money.
Meanwhile, Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, has said the death of Afuye has cost the journalism profession a bright and upcoming star.
“He was particularly close to us; we all admired his candour and carriage, especially his brilliant delivery at functions he compered that we had reasons to grace. His demise is not just painful. It is very pathetic and unbearable”, the Governor was quoted to have said in a statement released by Richard Olatunde, his Chief Press Secretary.
The Governor expressed his heartfelt condolences to the wife and children, family, the University community as well as the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) over this loss that he considers a personal one.
Meanwhile, a specific directive has been given by the Governor that the perpetrators of the heinous crime are apprehended and brought to book in the shortest possible time.