Oyo State Police Command have on Sunday announced that a broadcast journalist, Titus Badejo, popularly called Eja Nla, was shot dead on Saturday evening by unknown gunmen in the state.
According to multiple reports, the former On Air Personality (OAP) with Naija FM was shot dead in the evening of Saturday outside 407 Club at Oluyole Estate.
It was alleged that two masked gunmen aimed at Badejo, shot at him repeatedly and ensured that he was dead before leaving without taking anything from him or his friends.
The death of OAP comes a week after he celebrated his 40th birthday in the same club.
Reacting to the incident on Sunday, the Police Public Relations Officer of the state command, Adewale Osifeso, confirmed that Badejo was shot dead in front of the club in Oluyole Ibadan.
He said;
At about 0730hrs, Sunday 20th June 2021, One Damilola Afolabi ‘m’, Manager at Club 407, Oluyole Ibadan reported at Oluyole Divisional Police Headquarters that on Saturday 19th June 2021 one Titus Badejo, Journalist and Freelance Disc Jockey with the club was shot outside the club premises by unknown assailants.
However, comprehensive investigations are in top gear to unravel circumstances surrounding the incident and to apprehend the assailants.
Verifiable updates would be provided soonest, please.
Meanwhile, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has challenged the governor of the State, Engr. Seyi Makinde and the state Commissioner of Police, Ngozi Onadeko, to ensure that killers of Ibadan-based journalist are arrested and prosecuted.
NUJ in a condolence message sent to members by the chairman of the union, Comrade Ademola Babalola, on Sunday, described the death of the journalist as “one death too many for us in Oyo NUJ to comprehend.”
Babalola, who condemned the recent spate of senseless and avoidable killings in Ibadan, the state capital, called on major stakeholders to ensure the security of lives and properties in the state are prioritised.
The condolence message reads;
Gone too soon! Titus Badejo…We mourn the untimely passing and gruesome murder of a journalist whose sad killing took place on Saturday at a Club in Oluyole area of Ibadan, Oyo State capital.
A very distinguished OAP, DJ and Sports presenter, Badejo’s killing is one death too many for us in Oyo NUJ to comprehend.
The spate of senseless killings & avoidable deaths is worrisome and calls for concern of all discerning members of the public.
It appears those who have scores to settle with one another, are using the rising insecurity in the State to perpetrate killings of monumental dimension.
It added;
Under the cover of darkness, the assailants snuffed life out of a bubbling young man and cut short his precious life. What a cruel life! May your assailants never know peace. May the wrath of God descends on them wherever they are hibernating. We use this opportunity to once again, call on the authorities; the Governor, CP and others, to fish out killers of the deceased journalist and others mowed down in their primes in recent times.
May his soul rest in peace.
