Gunmen kill businessman during robbery

Shattered rear screen. Inset, bullet found inside the car

A businessman , Mr. Caleb Nwaozuru, has met an untimely death during an armed robbery attack at Ishaga, Surulere.

The husband and father of four, had allegedly gone to buy fuel when he was attacked by robbers at Ishaga, near Itire.

Nwaozuru was said to have last spoken with his wife Chikaodi at about 7.49pm on the day (March 24) while leaving Agboju, Festac after a prayer meeting.

He had driven himself in his ML 430 SUV and was headed for his office at Jibowu to pick up some money before coming home.

“By 9pm when Nwaozuru had neither returned home nor called, Chikaodi called him. When he didn’t answer, she initially assumed he was driving. She then called his office and a worker confirmed that Nwaozuru stopped by the office but had left for Ishaga, Surulere, to buy fuel.

A family source, which requested anonymity said, “With that Chikaodi waited a while, hoping Nwaozuru would call back. When he didn’t after several hours, she called his number again but the phone rang without an answer. Chikaodi made several failed attempts up till 12 midnight.”

As Nwaozuru was not known for keeping late nights, Chikaodi was alarmed. Despite the risk, she was said to have boarded a cab at about 12.20am in search of her husband.

The cab was said to have driven through all his usual routes from the house to the office and then Ishaga but there was no trace of him.

Distressed, Chikaodi returned home at 1.30am. By this time, Nwaozuru’s number was no longer available.

The following day, she informed the pastor of their local church of her husband’s disappearance. The pastor accompanied her to the Aguda Police Division to make a report. After the report, Chikaodi was said to have been advised by the officers on duty to write down her contact number in the event of any update.

“About an hour later, she got a call from the police asking for her pastor’s number. Shortly after this, her pastor came over to her house to inform Chikaodi that Nwaozuru’s body had been discovered at Ishaga near Itire.

The source said, “It seemed an armed robbery attack had taken place the night before, causing the residents to place a distress call to the Area C Command, Surulere.”

Nwaozuru’s family was told that he had been dragged out of his car by the robbers and shot before they made away with his car. The body had already been deposited at the mortuary of the Lagos Mainland Hospital, Yaba.

The police had allegedly given chase and fired at the robbers who escaped and later abandoned the car at Victoria Island, Lagos.

The family source said, “We went to the mortuary to identify the body. Nwaozuru was shot at the lower part of the two thighs and on the waist. The bullet came out through the front of the lower abdomen, leaving a hole. An autopsy has already being performed on Nwaozuru at the request of the police and we are waiting for the report.”

Nwaozuru’s car, which was later handed over to his family by the police, had several bullet holes with a shattered back shield. Some weapons supposedly belonging to the robbers were also found in the car; a sledgehammer and two cutters.

There was no response from the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ngozi Braide. Her phone rang out, while text messages to her phone were not replied.