Business tycoon Chief Vincent Obianodo of Young Shall Grow fame has been shot by suspected assassins in Lagos, South-West Nigeria, where lives and from ehere he runs his business group that has transportation as its backbone.

Media reports say the Young Shall Grow Motors MD was shot Tuesday night in the FESTAC area while returning from work. Though Chief Obianodo, who was shot in the hand, survived the attack, his driver and his police orderly were not that fortunate – they lost their lives. Two of the assassins were, however, killed after the police engaged them in a gun battle while the others escaped with bullet wounds.

According to a police source quoted by The Guardian: “On Tuesday night, Obianodo was on his way back from work. A police corporal and another private guard were in the vehicle with him. When they reached 22 Road in FESTAC, the entire place was deserted. From nowhere a vehicle crossed his own and some armed men opened fire on them. The policeman, who sat in front, was killed instantly while the driver was also killed.

“The assailants also shot Obianodo in the arm. However, the shooting attracted the attention of some policemen on patrol who rushed down to the scene and engaged the culprits in a gun duel.”

The incident is being treated as an assassination attempt because, according to the police source, “The way the attackers operated seemed as if it was an assassination attempt. Most times, kidnappers do not shoot their victims while trying to abduct them. At most, they only kill the person’s guard and abduct the victim unharmed.”

“In this case, they shot him in the arm and would have killed him if the police did not arrive on time.”

Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, confirmed the attack adding that efforts were on to apprehend the suspects at large.

“The attackers escaped with bullet wounds. We are, therefore, calling on hospitals to report cases of bullet injury to the nearest police station as this would increase our chances of arresting the culprits,” she said.

•Photo shows Young Shall Grow boss, Chief Vincent Obianodo.