The World Boxing Federation (WBF) Super featherweight Champion, Ridwan Scorpion Oyekola was lucky to have escaped death following an attack on his vehicle by gunmen moments after being presented a 10 million naira cheque at Oyo State Government Secretariat on Thursday evening.
Oyekola, who shared his near-death experience yesterday after leaving hospital where he was admitted for treatment since the day of incidence, said it was the grace of God that made him to escape death with two other occupants in his vehicle on Thursday 4th of March.
“As we left the Government Secretariat, the venue of cheque presentation, I wanted to drop a friend that accompanied me to the event at Mokola, I just saw a vehicle accosted us along NTA to Total Garden area, and the two men were pointing guns at us and ordering us to stop.
“I was shocked and swayed the car to escape them but fell into a ditch. The assailant drove off after noticing that we’ve fell off from the road”, the boxing champ narrated.
Oyekola was with another boxer, Habeeb ‘Ige’ Oladeji the National Bantamweight title holder and a friend Adesina Sheriff in the vehicle but none of them sustained serious injury except Ridwan who suffered shock, but has been released from the hospital.
The promoter and manager of the boxer, Sola Ayodele who owns Core Afrique Boxing Promotion (COABOX) has however, called on government to help in providing adequate security cover for the boxer, saying the assailants might still be on his trail which will not augur well for the safety and preparation for his title defense.
The COABOX boss however added that “the vehicle given to him by Hamex Group in appreciation of his achievement has gotten damaged after the robbery attack”.
