Gunmen Kill Police Orderly, Abducts APC Assembly Candidate in Edo

Pandemonium struck yesterday in Owan West Local Government Area of Edo State following the reported abduction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) state House of Assembly candidate in the area, Mr. Michael Ohio-Ezomo.

Ohio-Ezomo, as gathered, was Kidnapped in the early hours of Thursday in his private residence at Eme-Ora and his police orderly killed in the process.

  

The assailants, who are three in number, according investigation, gained entry into his compound while the others laid guard outside the fence to forestall any escape.

  

One of the three was said to have worn a hood and hand gloves ostensibly to beat forensic investigation.

  

The incident as further gathered, led to youths in the area barricading the major roads in the community with heavy logs in protest against the kidnap which took the personal intervention of the state Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, who had to engage sawmill operators to cut the logs before they were cleared off the road.

  

Chairman of the council area, Frank Ilaboya, while speaking on the incident, said: “It happened around 1 a.m. this morning (today) in his house in Owan West. We got the information early this morning that his police orderly was also killed. They  shot him so that they would be able to get Mike out of his room. From what we heard from the driver, they shattered the window with bullets and entered into the room and they took him away, and up till now, we don’t know his whereabouts. No contact yet. He went out for campaign yesterday with Professor Julius Ihonvbere who is the House of Representatives candidate. They were supposed to continue the campaign today but for this unfortunate incident.”

  

Reacting, Police Commissioner Odumosu said: “It is a case of kidnap and murder.  They broke into the compound and first went to the boys quarters where the police orderly was sleeping and killed him which is to first check any resistance, and then went into the four bedroom bungalow where the victim was and broke the window to gain entrance into the building. Three of them went inside the house while the others were guarding the building outside. One of the three who went inside was wearing a hood and hand gloves which means there is an insider that is likely to know the terrain and don’t want to be identified.

  

“We have started investigation, as they also went away with the phones of the victim. We have ordered for the embalmment of the corpse of our fallen man so that we will do the necessary processes before we inform the family.   

 

“Investigation commenced immediately from that midnight and we have appealed to the youths not take laws into their hands because when we were going there, they fell trees to block the road in about three places, it took us almost two hours to clear the road showing their displeasure about what happened. So I am appealing to everybody to be calm. I have deployed more policemen there and I have also gotten the assistance of all sister security agencies, including the vigilante to give us any information.

“As at now, they have not made any contact but we are not waiting for that, we are deploying our strategy. Our technology is already in place, and by the grace of God, we will do our job, as we call on the people to give us information that can lead to his freedom.”