Suspected kidnappers in the early hours of today abducted the former deputy speaker of Edo State and All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Assembly candidate, Mr. Michael Ohio-Ezomo at his residence in Owan West Local Government Area of Edo State, killing his police orderly in the process.

Three of the assailants reportedly entered into the compound while the others laid guard outside the fence to forestall any escape, even as one of the assailants was said to have worn a hood and hand gloves apparently to beat forensic investigation.

The incident provoked outrage from youths of the community, who barricaded roads leading into the community with heavy logs of wood in protest.

The personal intervention of the state Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, who had to engage saw millers who used their motor saw to cut the logs, reportedly paved the way and allowed entry and exit from the community.

Commenting on the incident, the Chairman of the local government council, Frank Ilaboya, said: “It happened around 1 am this morning in his house at Owan West here; we got the information early this morning; his police orderly was actually killed.

“They went and shot him; they said they were already sleeping; they shot him and they were 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. So, up till now, we don’t know his whereabouts, no contact yet.

“He went on campaign yesterday, he went to some camps with Professor Julius Ihonvbere who is the House of Representatives candidate and we even spoke about the campaign and they were supposed to even continue the campaign today but for this unfortunate incident,” Ilaboya said.

The State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, who quickly mobilised to the area said: “It is a case of kidnap and then 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 that 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 an investigation; they 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 the 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 have gone round the nook and cranny of the community appealing to everybody; I have deployed more policemen there and I have also got the assistance of all sister-security agencies there 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 are assuring the people that we will do our job; if there is anybody they suspect, they should give us information and whatever they are doing must be within the ambits of the law.

“They are not assassins; if they wanted to kill him, they had the opportunity but they just took him out. He was the one that even opened the door for them to move out but they went through the window after damaging the glasses.

“They first killed the orderly who they believe will constitute a resistance and then made the others to lie down and somebody was watching over them while the others went inside the house,” Odumosu narrated.

•Sourced from a Daily Sun report

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