It was gathered that the deceased, after struggling for a while with the attackers, slumped.
The Osun State Police Command, on Wednesday, said it had launched a manhunt for the killers of a businessman, Lukman Owoade, in the Oke Ayepe area of Osogbo.
Sources in the area told our correspondent that the deceased was operating a sawmill in the Oke Baale area of the state capital.
It was gathered that the late Owoade had gone to a meeting of a thrift society he belonged to and because it was his turn to collect the contributions, he had to wait for the meeting to end.
PUNCH Metro learnt that shortly after Owoade was given the sum of N590,000, some armed men invaded the venue, shot at him and dealt him several machete cuts.
An eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told our correspondent that the deceased, after struggling for a while with the attackers, slumped.
Another eyewitness stated, “It was like watching a horror movie. We were all in the hall, where we were holding our thrift society’s meeting, when some men wielding weapons emerged and went straight to where Owoade sat.
“They shot at him and attacked him with machetes. We all ran in different directions and because the attack took place in the evening, the attackers escaped from the scene under the cover of darkness.
“From all indications, the attackers had foreknowledge that it was Owoade’s turn to collect the thrift contributions and they came for the money.”
When contacted, the state Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Ige, said, “On Saturday, September 7, around 9.30pm, one Aranse Sikiru reported that while he and other members of the thrift society were holding a meeting at the Oke Ayepe area of Osogbo, some gunmen invaded the venue and shot the deceased.
“The complainant added that the attackers collected from Owoade the sum of N590,000 given to him at the meeting.
“Our operatives visited the scene and the victim was taken to the Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, where he was confirmed dead by a doctor. The body was deposited in LAUTECH’s mortuary for autopsy.”
Ige, who said the command had intensified efforts to apprehend the culprits, gave an assurance that the manhunt by the operatives would eventually lead to the arrest of the perpetrators.