Police authorities in Lagos said yesterday that claims by
Newcastle striker, Obafemi Martins that he was shot at by unknown gunmen last Monday were not true and the only report they received was from his driver who reported that he himself was the one attacked.
The Command Public Relations Officer, Mr. Bode Ojajuni said Martins gave an inaccurate account of the incident to the public.
Mr Ojajuni said:
“On the said day, one Mr. Femi Onipede who claimed to be a driver to the soccer star called the Police at Victoria Garden City (VGC) to report that he was in a hospital after being attacked by unknown gun men. He said that he went out in search of diesel with an unnamed friend around 1am and that when they got near Alesh Hotel in Ajah, a vehicle hit their mercedez benz M500 with registration number BD 900 BDG“He told police that he came down from the vehicle after switching off the engine only for the occupants of the car that hit them to start firing at them. He said he was hit in the shoulder by one of the bullets before he ran away from the scene. After reporting the incident, policemen were detailed to the scene and when they got there, they recovered the car.
“When the Divisional Police Officer in-charge of the station learnt that the vehicle belongs to Obafemi Martins, he quickly went to the family house where he met the Mother of the striker, Madam Martins who told him that his son was sleeping and would not like to be disturbed.
He therefore dropped his telephone numbers with the mother so that he would call him as soon as he woke up. The following morning around 10am, Obafemi Martins personally called the DPO and thanked him for all the help his boys rendered to his driver during the incident. He also appealed that his car should be released to him to enable him carry out repairs promising that he would personally see the DPO when he returns from his overseas trip.
“Based on this plea, the car was released to him on bond. From the account of this, it is obvious that Obafemi Martins was not in the car when the driver was shot at. The driver’s account raised a lot of questions like why was he looking for diesel around 1am, who was the friend he claimed was with him when he was shot at etc. The whole thing is still a puzzle but from all indications, Martins was not the victim but his driver”.
