EXCLUSIVE: Oyo State Ex-Deputy Governor, Hazeem Gbolarumi Threatens To Kill Car Dealer For Demanding Payment

In April 2018, Samson Adeoye, the Executive Director of Lagos car dealership 3D’s Stars General International Limited, was introduced by a friend to a potential customer interested in a 2010 Mercedes Benz GLK 350 and a 2010 Toyota Highlander.

According to Adeoye, the potential buyer turned out to be Hazeem Gbolarumi, a lawyer, former deputy governor, and PDP Chieftain in Oyo State, who served beside late Governor Christopher Alao Akala, and also contested the 2023 gubernatorial election.

Adeoye told West Africa Weekly that upon request and considering the political status of Mr Gbolarumi, he and an employee transported the vehicles from Lagos to his residence in Ibadan, Oyo State.

On getting to his residence in Ibadan, Gbolarumi, accompanied by his son and driver, inspected the Mercedes Benz GLK 350 (4MATIC) with chassis number WDCG8HB1AF424035 and the Toyota Highlander with chassis number 5TDJK3EH7AS040900.

After a thorough inspection and being satisfied with the cars, Gbolarumi agreed to pay ₦7.5 million for each vehicle, totalling ₦15 million.

Upon reaching an agreed price, Gbolarumi asked for the account details he would pay into. He was given the payment details for Adeoye’s First City Monument Bank (FCMB) corporate account with account number 5014266012.

Moments after the account was provided, Gbolarumi said he had forwarded the account details to his account officer, who would credit Adeoye with the agreed sum. Describing what happened next, Adeoye said,

“I expected to receive a credit alert as agreed before I got to Lagos on the day, but to my surprise, I have yet to receive the credit alert for the money as agreed. All efforts to speak with him on the phone since that day proved abortive as he (Gbolarumi) refused and or neglected to pick up his calls or respond to numerous short messages sent to his phone.”

Upon failing to reach Gbolarumi via telephone, Adeoye travelled back to Ibadan. Luckily, he met him at his residence.

Gbolarumi claimed that his account officer had not been around, so he could not pay for the cars.

Speaking to West Africa Weekly, Adeoye said it took the “concerted effort” of one Mr Sunday Igbowo who, on the 11th of November 2018, helped him to retrieve the Highlander, which was allegedly being driven around Ibadan with a federal government plate number.

As for the Mercedes Benz, Gbolarumi had it registered for his wife’s use, according to Adeoye.

In August 2018, he reported Gbolarumi to the Head of Department at the Faculty of Law, University of Ibadan, Professor A.I. Olatunbosun.

Given Gbolarumi’s continued intransigence, Adeoye reported the case to the now-suspended police chief, Abba Kyari on November 28, 2018, when he was stationed at the Police Command, Ikeja.

Responding to Kyari’s subsequent invitation, Gbolarumi at first denied even knowing Samson, but later admitted to the transaction.

He claimed that one Mr Rasheed, who initially referred him to Mr Samson, had told him to pay N5.8 million for each vehicle, contrary to the initially agreed unit price of N7.5 million. Adeoye meanwhile, managed to capture Gbolarumi’s phone screen during the police appointment. Describing what happened next, he said:

“We called my friend [Mr Rasheed] on the spot, and he said he told him, in avoidance of losing out, to pay what he was pricing when he refused to pick up his call or pay to me as agreed on the first day.”

Adeoye also noted that Gbolarumi’s denial of knowing him has been his way of avoiding payment whenever he reported him to people to help plead with him for payment.

Following the appointment with Kyari, Gbolarumi – out of shame – paid N2.8 million to Adeoye in 3 separate payments of N1 million, N1 million, and N800,000.

Adeoye’s Full Statement

“After several calls to get the balance from him, he blocked me and my friend on WhatsApp and direct calls. We went to report him to the late Oluibadan, and he was invited but refused to come. I went to Radio Nigeria in Ibadan, but he used his influence to scatter everything.

“I spoke to one Mrs Maliq of Tribune Newspaper about it, and he told her that he was going to kill me because he could see that some politicians were using me to tarnish his image.

“At a point, as I did not stop reporting him to those who could help, he said he called my friend in China (Mr Rasheed) and that he (Mr Gbolarumi) had cash to give to me, which I doubted was true. 

“How is it possible for me to travel to Ibadan to collect cash from the dangerous man who has been threatening to kill me if he finds me?

“I involved Alhaji Oriyomi, his boy, but in his presence, he started beating me with his boys, stating that he had paid N3 million.

“I need your help, please. I left the country when I started receiving some strange calls and threats,” says Mr Samson as he narrates his ordeal.

West Africa Weekly contacted Mr Gbolarumi via call and WhatsApp. He did not respond.

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About The Author

Mayowa Durosinmi

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M. Durosinmi is a West Africa Weekly investigative reporter covering Politics, Human Rights, Health, and Security in West Africa and the Sahel Region

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