Nigeria
Editor shot to deathPosted Sep 27 2009
Bayo Ohu, assistant political editor of The Guardian, was killed at his home in Lagos the morning of Sept. 20.
Five armed men arrived at Ohu’s estate in Egbeda, a Lagos suburb, at around 7 a.m. Ohu answered the door and the men immediately shot him in the stomach, entered his home and left moments later with his laptop and cell phone in hand.
The gang of men escaped in a white Toyota Camry. After being pursued by police, they abandoned the car and fled. The vehicle was recovered and is being investigated.
THISDAY reports that Ohu’s neighbors believe the gunmen were paid to kill the journalist. They cite the laptop retrieval and the fact that Ohu’s home was singled out in the apparent robbery to back their claim.
Ohu’s daughter, who was scared into hiding with his other children, told The Guardian that she heard one of the assailants shout, “Olori buruku e ti ku (the fool is dead).”
Though some details could indicate that Ohu was killed due to his profession, Frank Mbah, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, said the police “are leaving all options open in our investigations.”
“We do not want to join the train of speculators,” he told THISDAY of the possible assassination, adding that all evidence collected so far points to a case of armed robbery. But he assured that all leads were being followed.
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