Gunmen have abducted the Edo State Chairman of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association Nigeria, Abdulhamid Baba-Saliu.
PUNCH Metro gathered that his personal driver was killed and his security details injured during an invasion of his residence at Jattu, in the Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State.
The incident, it was gathered, happened on Monday night.
An Abuja-based human rights lawyer, Abdul Mahmud, who is an in-law to Baba-Saliu, told one of our correspondents that the gunmen had yet to make any contact with the family.
He said, “Last night, around 6.45pm, my brother-in-law, Abdulhamid Baba-Saliu, Chairman, IPMAN, Edo State, and Chairman, Jattu Union, was violently accosted by armed men at the gate of his country home in Jattu, Etsako West LGA, Edo State.
“He lives in Benin, Abuja and Jattu, where he runs his chain of petrol stations, Baba Petroleum. He was at home over the week for a three-day prayer for his uncle, who died last week.
“One of his drivers was instantly shot and killed. The other driver and his personal security details were seriously injured in the attack. My brother-in-law was taken away by the kidnappers. No contact has been made or ransom demanded.
“These are difficult and trying times for us. While we continue to pray for his safe return, I appeal to his abductors to release him unharmed to his family and community.”
The Edo State police spokesperson, Bello Kontongs, confirmed the incident.
He noted that the driver of the second vehicle, who was badly injured in the attack, was also dead.
Kontongs said, “I got the news that the driver of the second vehicle who was severely injured in the attack is dead. The family is yet to be contacted, while we hope that the bush-combing exercise will lead to the rescue of the victim and arrest of the kidnappers.”
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