How Gunmen Killed 74-yr-old Ex-Naval Officer in Lagos

Two gunmen, yesterday, shot dead a retired Navy officer, identified as Commodore Peter Ikre, in Festac Town, Lagos. It was gathered that the gunmen, who succeeded in robbing Ikre, trailed him to 52 Road junction on a motorbike where they attacked him while he was parking his Toyota Camry.

According to an eyewitness, who spoke to Vanguard on condition of anonymity,

 “the deceased was an ex-naval officer. He was a regular guest at Summer Garden where he came to relax most evenings.

“He was coming from a bank when he was shot by two men on a motorbike. The gunmen ambushed the victim who was in his car. Then one of the men alighted from the motorbike and shot Baba (victim) who was alighting from his car. The gunman kept shooting the victim as he attempted to escape.

“One of the gunmen first shot Baba’s legs and continued to shoot him when he refused to hand over the money which he withdrew from the bank. Later, they collected his money and zoomed off. He was shot about 12 times, because we found 15 expended ammunition casings at the scene.”

Vanguard gathered that after the gunmen had escaped, sympathizers used the victim’s phone to contact his family member, who later brought some policemen to the scene.

Contracted, state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO,  Joe Offor,  said the Police received a distress call at about 12:05 that two men with pistol shot a retired Navy Commodore.

“The incident occurred at 52 Road junction, Festac town. He was rushed to a nearby hospital where he gave up the ghost. 15 expended 9mm ammunition were recovered from the scene. Also, the victim’s car, a Toyota Camry ash coloured with  number plate Epe 521 DA, was recovered. His corpse has been taken to Navy mortuary for autopsy.”

When Vanguard visited the residence of late Commodore Peter Ikre, sympathisers were seen commiserating with the  family.

One of his sons, Rev Father William Ikre, who spoke with Vanguard, said:

“My father was coming back after withdrawing money from the bank when they shot him. He was shot about 15 times around noon. I was in school when I received a call that my father has been shot. My mother is inside the house sleeping and can’t speak to anyone now.”