The Ogun State Government, the police and other security agencies have failed to apprehend or identify the gunmen who shot and killed Taiwo Oyekanmi, the Ogun Governor’s Office Director of Finance and Accounts, on November 29.

Oyekanmi was on official duty – withdrawing funds for the Ogun State Government – when he was murdered. The culprits had blocked him on the NNPC Bridge near Kuto, Abeokuta, and shot him before leaving with the cash.

Five months on, the state government Oyekanmi worked for has only managed to place a N50 million bounty on the heads of the killers.

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Kehinde Oyekanmi, Oyekanmi’s widow, told FIJ that her pain was fresh and the promises of the state government were mostly pledges still.

“I’m not happy; I couldn’t sleep. I remember everything (from November). A lot is going through my mind, but I have to thank God still,” Kehinde said on Monday.

“To the glory of God, I and my children are coping. There is nothing we can really do about what has happened. We have accepted our fate. I can only do all that I can for my children. I can only send them upkeep for the month.

“They understand, especially our first child. We are coping, even if help does not come. Initially, people rallied around to support me. They gave money and paid visits, which I appreciate. Right now, there is no help from anywhere again. Only family members and one of my husband’s colleagues send what they can afford to us.”

Dapo Abiodun, the Ogun State Governor, approved scholarships for Oyekanmi’s children in November and made more promises.

The governor approved the release of two units of 2-bedroom flats at Prince Court Estate, Kemta, Idi-Aba, to Kehinde and her children, the payment of Oyekanmi’s death gratuity to his wife, and the sponsorship of the education of Oyekanmi’s three children by the Ogun State Government till completion of their tertiary education.

“That was what they (the state government) promised us. Maybe I am not working towards it as it should be,” Kehinde told FIJ. 

“For now, with the help of my late husband’s brother, we are trying to go to those places so that they can fast-track those promises.

“Taiwo Oyekanmi was my backbone. He was a father, my husband, a mentor and everything to me. I still believe he is with me. I may not be able to see him, but he is with me spiritually. He was a one-in-a-million husband, a very faithful man. A very open-minded man. He was also very kind-hearted, willing to help so many needy people who came to him. Taiwo Oyekanmi was an angel.”

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Kehinde received the death gratuity just three weeks ago, months after the governor approved immediate payment.

There are also concerns about Oyekanmi’s children’s scholarships receiving less priority once Abiodun concludes his tenure as governor in 2027.

“On the promises the governor made when he paid a condolence visit to the house on the 30th of November – and he repeated the same – that he already gave a directive for immediate implementation of the promises… that the family needed not visit before the promises would be implemented. But now the family is still waiting,” a family member, who asked not to be named, told FIJ on Monday.

FIJ called Omolola Odutola, the Ogun Police Public Relations Officer, on Monday. He said, “I will have to check with the investigative team.”

“This happened last year, and it was an armed robbery with no traces at the time. I must confirm the progress of the investigation from the criminal investigation team on this case.”

Odutola reached out hours later with an update from the state’s criminal investigation department.

“In a case like this, a high-profile case, the criminals are very sophisticated and they’ve tried to cover their tracks. We are still investigating this matter, but we don’t have further clues yet. There are no errors or mistakes to capitalise on,” he said.

“We have recovered the vehicle that was used to perpetrate the crime. We know that the public wants to hear that the suspects have been apprehended. No matter how long it takes, we are going to do our job.”