Precious Igbonwelundu
THE Managing Director of Maersk, Gildas Tohouo, is in critical condition after armed assailants attacked his Ikoyi, Lagos home on Sunday night. His wife was killed in the attack.
Some suspected robbery, some assassination.
Maersk, is a Danish conglomerate with activities in the transport, logistics and energy sectors across the globe.
It was gathered that the Tohouos’ electrician cum maintenance man came to their apartment under the guise of fixing an electrical fault, but had smuggled an accomplice into the building who he claimed was a guest at a party in the couple’s expatriate neighbour’s flat. Next, the handyman allegedly tampered with electricity in the house and asked permission to enter and resolve the power issue.
As soon as he was granted access, the suspect and his accomplice allegedly separated the man from his wife, forced the woman to transfer some money to their account, collected her Automated Teller Machine (ATM) card and stabbed her.
They allegedly forced her to drink acid before suffocating her with a pillow.
Tohouo was also said to have been forced to drink acid as well and equally stabbed but was able to send a distress alert to his Chief Security Officer (CSO) who contacted Police Commissioner Hakeem Odumosu.
It was gathered that Odumosu led an operation to the couple’s residence, surrounded the area and commenced a search for the attackers still ransacking the house for valuables.
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Another account said it was an assassination attempt on the couple whose three children were unhurt.
“Their electrician came with his friend,” said a neighbourhood source. “They locked husband and wife in different rooms, forced the wife to transfer some money to them and also collected her ATM card. They equally forced them to drink acid..
“A team led by the CP arrived at the scene and surrounded the premises while the suspects were still there. They were both apprehended.”
When our correspondent visited the estate yesterday, security men said there was no one at the residence. They also turned down pleas to volunteer information. One of them locked the estate gate behind him as soon as a vehicle entered.
Food sellers and their customers were seen discussing the issue among them, describing the suspect as a “very young man.”
Police spokesman Bala Elkana, a Deputy Superintendent (DSP), confirmed the incident, adding that two suspects have been arrested.
Elkana identified those arrested as Olamide Goke and Ade Akanbi, adding that the case has been transferred to homicide unit, State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) Panti.
He said the suspects went to the house to steal from the family and that the knives they used in stabbing them were recovered.
The conglomerate also confirmed the attack.
“We are very sorry to confirm that a colleague and his family have been attacked in their residence in Lagos, Nigeria during the evening of 8 December 2019.
“Tragically, the wife of our colleague passed away at the scene. Our colleague is in the hospital, where his condition is critical, but stable. The three children are all safe and accounted for.
“Our thoughts and deepest sympathy goes to the family. We will do whatever we can to support them in this tragedy,” says David Williams, Regional Managing Director of Africa for A.P. Moller-Maersk.
The relatives of the family are in the process of being notified.
Relevant authorities are investigating the incident. Maersk is supporting the investigation in every possible way, the statement signed by Richard Smith on behalf of the company said
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