Another tragedy was
averted in the nation’s movie industry in the early hours of Monday,
when ace Yoruba actor, Murphy Afolabi, escaped death by whiskers.
But
for God, the respected Osun State-born actor would have been felled by
the bullets fired by some armed robbers who had reportedly trailed him
from a night club to his hotel suite at SP Continental Hotel in Ebute
Metta, Lagos.
It was gathered that the armed robbery attack,
which lasted 30 minutes, held the entire residents of Park Road, Ebute
Metta (West), Lagos State, shell-shocked, as two security men attached
to the hotel were killed.
Another victim, simply identified as
Wale, sustained bullet wounds in his leg and wrist. He is at the moment
receiving treatment in a hospital in Lagos.
According to an
eye-witness recalled, “It happened about 4:15 a.m. I was outside my home
washing my bus when Murphy Afolabi came into the hotel in his car, a
few minutes later, a 2013 Range Rover sport car pulled up beside his
car. Then, four young men, who were holding guns, came out of the car
and then pounced on him. They ordered him out of his car and started
slapping him on the face.
Immediately they recognised him, they
asked him to lie flat on his chest. Oluwo, a guard who was preparing to
close for the day, was shot dead. They killed him because he had removed
the protective charm on him. Another guard, who was returning with his
monkey from an adjoining street, on hearing gun shots, rushed down to
the scene, and was shot dead too.
Murphy and his boys were on the
floor while the robbers watched over them. One of his boys, on hearing
gunshots, ran into a swampy canal to escape, and they started shooting
at him. He was, however, fortunate to escape. In the process, the
bullet perforated Murphy’s car.
They collected the sum of N150,
000 from one his boys who was with him in the car, a laptop, phones and
other accessories. That the armed robbers were able to identify Murphy
saved him from being killed.”
Like a scene from a movie, the
dashing actor was said to have been ordered by the robbers to switch on
his car stereo, while they offered him bottle of an alcoholic drink. “
He, however, declined on the grounds that he doesn’t drink.
They
also requested that he dance for them, which he grudgingly did. He
danced to the music blaring from his car stereo until the armed robbers
were ready to go. They also requested he made a movie on his experience
with them to be titled “Se rere”. They threatened him that failure to
comply would attract more dangerous attacks,” he said.
In his own
account, another eye-witness on Niger Street, who simply gave his name
as Bomboy, said, “ As the robbers were done with their victims at SP
Continental, they drove through Patience Street. But it was clear that
they were strangers to the street. These were young men of less than 25
years of age. They stopped to ask for direction from an old woman. It
was almost 5.00a.m. when they got to the T-Junction at Thomas Street.
I
was defecating nearby, with Wale standing at the side of the road- he
was waiting for me. The reckless driving of the armed robbers attracted
comments from Wale. He said, “ E wo le yin(Who are these people?). I
don’t know what aggravated them about his comment. So, they confidently
parked the car in the middle of the road. One of them alighted from the
car, walked towards Wale and pulled out a gun. Immediately, Wale
attempted to run away, but he could not go too far as he was shot in the
leg.
“Another voice from the car ordered that Wale be shot in
the head. But the second shot only hit him in the wrist. This time, I
was frozen with fear. It was like a movie, and I could not come out of
my hideout. They thought Wale was dead, so they left. We later rushed
him to hospital for treatment.
The robbery incident has, however,
generated reactions from residents within the environs, as they
complained of porous security.
Bolaji Omoaje, a barber within
Ebute Metta said, “The rate at which cases of armed robbery attacks
occur in Ebute Metta now is alarming and the sophistication of the
weapons used by armed robbers is another cause concern.
Security
is the collective responsibility of everybody. This is why we
constituted a vigilance group but with the killing of two security men
mounting guard at the hotel, it is obvious that the issue at hand is far
beyond what vigilante members could handle.
There is an urgent
need for the Police to beef up security, particularly in Ebute- Metta,
where armed robbers now patronise at will and go scot- free.”
Efforts to get the side of the Manager of SP Continental Hotel and Murphy Afolabi, were unsuccessful.
Jubreel,
a staff of the hotel, declined comment and said the manager was
sleeping and would not want to speak with anyone for now.
A close
source at the hotel told Daily Newswatch that after the robbery
incident, Murphy was seen at the reception with the chairman of the
hotel, Seun, alias Pawpaw, and some detectives from Iponri Police
Station that were investigating the attack. The Police later took away
the corpses of the security men killed by the robbers.
The
chairman had also pledged his support to the families of the deceased,
as he said he would give the two families some undisclosed amounts to
assuage their pains.”
A
newly married man identified as Lawal Bala, had his throat slit by
unknown gunmen in Gangere area of Jos North Local Government, Plateau
State.
The
Bayelsa State Police Command has declared wanted leader of the renegade
militant group, by the name, Virus and 17 others involved in the April
gruesome killing of 11 policemen along the waterways of Lobia community
in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state.
Three siblings lost their lives as fire gutted a house in Ohong Community, Obudu Local Government Area of Cross River State.
An
Osun State High Court has reserved judgment in the allegation of rape
levelled by a female National Youth Service Corps member, Miss Helen
Okpara, against a monarch, the Alowa of Ilowa, Oba Adebukola Alli.
A baby girl who was pronounced dead at birth came back to life three hours later on the altar of a hospital chapel.
Police
officers from the nearby Denton Police Station have also assisted in
the rescue work while officials of the Lagos State Ambulance Service
(LASAMBUS) and Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) have
just arrived the scene..
Imam
Lawan Alkali explained his ordeal in Mamudo and revealed that those who
massacred his sons will be dealt by the almighty Allah, even before
they perish as according to him, Islam abhors violence.
