Alhaji Ismail Awoyinka, a renowned businessman in Ore, the headquarters of Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State, has been murdered.

Alhaji Awoyinka, who is into building materials, was assassinated during the weekend by suspected gunmen at his residence located in the Idi mango area, opposite the caring heart mega school in Ore town.

Many sympathisers have continued to throng the house of the deceased, known for his kindhearted, especially for the downtrodden, to commiserate with the members of his family.

Our reporter gathered from family sources that Awoyinka was shot from a close range by the suspects after he left the mosque, where he had gone to observe prayers to begin the Ramadan fasting.

One of the sources said, “He [Awoyinka] was assassinated the moment he left the mosque after Taraweeh prayer (a voluntary prayer during Ramadan), very close to his house, around 8:35 pm on Saturday.

“Immediately he left the mosque, he went home straight, but some persons dressed in white attire alighted from a motorcycle and as he was about to enter his house, they ambushed him and shot him,” one of the family members, who spoke in confidence, said during a chat on Sunday.

Taiwo Adegoroye, Chairman, Odigbo Local Government Area, confirmed the sad incident and expressed shock over the brutal assassination of the businessman.

He also condemned the killing and called for the arrest of the perpetrators who carried out the dastardly act in the night.

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Funmilayo Odunlami-Omisamya, could not immediately confirm the incident but promised to get back to our reporter but did not as at the time of filing the report yesterday.