Edo: Gunmen abduct IPMAN chair, kill driver

.As kidnapped Enugu chief dies, 2 others freed

By COSMAS CHUKWU

Chairman of the Edo State chapter of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) Alhaji Abdul-Hamid Egele, has been abducted by gunmen at his residence in Jattu, Etsako West Local Government Area of the state.

Egele, popularly called by his admirers as Baba Petrol, was abducted on Monday evening while his driver was killed in the process.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Edo Command, SP Kontongs Bello said the State Command was yet to get a report of the incident.

“The command is not aware. I will find out from the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Jattu,’’ Kontongs said.

However, an eyewitness said, on condition of anonymity, that the incident happened at about 7.00p.m. on Monday.

The eyewitness said that the businessman was returning home after the day’s business only to be accosted by gunmen.

“The gunmen ambushed the IPMAN chairman with two vehicles without plate number and fired at his jeep and killed his driver.

“The IPMAN chairman was later taken away after the security attached to him were overpowered by the gunmen who injured the security operatives,’’ the eyewitness said.

In a related development ,One of the family three men of the Aziude and Onyia families  of Isingwu Imeama and Amaeta villages respectively, abducted by unknown  gunmen last Sunday at Isingwu,Chief Francis Aziude has died while his two colleagues had regained their freedom.

Their abductors had stormed their family meeting where that hosted the Aziudes had hosted their Onyia in-laws in a discussion on some issues that erupted last December between their daughter and her husband.

The invading  gang had invaded and ordered  the gathered kinsmen to lie flat and the ground while the tied up the trio of Chief Francis Aziude, his elder brother, Arch.  Alphonsus and their brother in-law, Mr Eric Onyia and made away with them in one vehicle belonging to the Aziude.

Arch Aziude had reportedly been released later that Sunday while Chief Aziude andMr  Eric  remained in their custody.

The dead body of Chief Aziude, an estate mogul in Enugu was later discovered in his abandoned SUV vehilcle all Ogbaku, along the Enugu Portharcourt  expressway today.

The deceased is the father of the bride who was having problems with her spouse from the Onyia family.

His body has since been deposited in a local mortuary.