Oduwobi Olalekan, a 40-year-old hotel manager who works with 12/30 Hotel, in Noforija, Epe area of Lagos, was stabbed to death last Wednesday around 10pm,Semiu Abiodun, an eyewitness who spoke to Punch Newspapers disclosed that the robbers had sneaked into the community without being seen by security men.

Abiodun said, “I was watching television that night when I heard a noise as one of the robbers jumped from the extension into our building. There was a power outage, but my generator was on and my outside bulb was working, so I could see clearly.  Then I watched as he sliced my net. At that point, I shouted on him, and he jumped back into the extension where I believe the rest of his colleagues were hiding. I ran out and raised the alarm and people joined me to shout and wake up those who might be sleeping.”

It was learnt that the robbers resorted to hauling granite at residents as they plotted their escape.

“The hotel manager immediately went to the back of the hotel, while I went to a second street to mobilise more people. After a while, as I was standing on the street, one of the robbers walked past me and I couldn’t say anything for fear that he would attack me. But after he passed, I shouted, ‘thief, thief, thief’ and he began to run,” he added.

The fleeing suspect, who had blood stains on his clothes, was said to have been apprehended.

Upon interrogation, he was said to have led the police to the hideout of three other suspects. The four men were identified as Rasak Babatunde, Abomeji Seun, Anthony Gbagbo and Tacqui Habbila.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Kenneth Nwosu, confirmed the incident saying, “The man was the manager of the 12/30 Hotel. Five persons stormed the place and shot him. He was rushed to the hospital and he died on the way. Four persons have been arrested in connection with the case. We recovered a pistol from the suspects. The matter has been transferred to the State Criminal investigation Department, Yaba.”