An assistant editor of the Daily Newswatch Newspapers, Mr. Toyin Obadina, was in the early hours of yesterday attacked by armed robbers on his way home from work.
The assistant editor of the Saturday title, who escaped death by the whiskers, was attacked along the Itoikin-Old Ijebu-Ode Road, at about 1:00 a.m., while driving to his residence in Parafa area of Ikorodu, Lagos.
It was gathered that Obadina was waylaid by the robbers, who double-crossed him with two Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) while driving in his Toyota Yaris car.
He was shot despite giving them his full cooperation by giving everything they requested.
According to his wife, Mrs. Abiola Obadina, the thieves had collected all he had on him before shooting him twice in the stomach.
“When they stopped him, he gave them all the money that he had on him. The thieves double-crossed him when he was coming from work. They were riding in two jeeps, and they collected everything he had on him, but one of them shot him in the belly when they were done with him. He is currently responding to treatment,” she narrated.
Following the incident, Obadina underwent a medical surgery at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, which was successful. He is now recuperating.
UPDATE
Mr Toyin Obadina, Deputy Editor, Newswatch Newspapers, who was shot by armed robbers on his way to his Ikorodu residence died on Sunday as a result of injuries he sustained from the attack. He had earlier gone under the surgeon’s knife and was thought to be recuperating well before the sad news of his death filtered through on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) on Sunday urged the Commissioner of Police in Lagos State to track down the killers of Obadina.
This is contained in a statement issued by Mr Femi Adesina, the NGE President, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
The NGE described the incident as “sickening”.
“The death of Mr Toyin Obadina, Deputy Editor, Saturday Newswatch from the guns of suspected armed robbers is not only agonising and horrendous, it is quite sickening.
“All men of the fraternity of the pen, to which Obadina belonged, are revolted that a man returning home from his legitimate duty is waylaid, robbed, and then shot twice in the stomach, leading to his death.
“We urge the Commissioner of Police in Lagos, Umar Manko, to ensure that killers of Obadina are brought to book in the shortest possible time,’’ the statement quoted Adesina as saying.
It condemned the proliferation of small arms almost throughout the length and breadth of the country, and called on the relevant authorities to rise to the occasion.
“It is most probable that our colleague, Obadina, met his end through one of such illicit weapons.
“The onus is on government at all levels to curb criminality. Anything less would not do.’’
The statement sympathised with the family of the deceased, Newswatch Communications, and Nigerian journalists in general and prayed God to grant all the fortitude to bear the loss.
