Gunmen attack ACN stalwart in Edo, kill 2, abduct wife

A stalwart of the Action Congress of Nigeria in Edo State, Patrick Akhimien, was on Wednesday attacked by gunmen suspected to be kidnappers in Ekpoma.

The attackers killed Mr. Akhimien’s younger brother, police orderly and injured some other people at the scene.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Akhimien is an ACN stalwart in Illeh-Ekpoma in the Esan West Local Government Area of Edo.

Mr. Akhimien, who sustained gunshot injuries, was rushed to the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, also in the Esan Central Local Government Area of the state.

Witnesses told NAN that the politician, who drove in a motorcade, comprising a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) and a Toyota Sienna, was attacked on his way from Uromi, before the popular MopoL Junction in Ekpoma.

The sources said that the unidentified gunmen opened fire on the SUV conveying the politician, killing his younger brother who was driving the car and the police orderly.

The gunmen, thereafter, abducted Mr. Akhimien’s wife and two other women who were in the back-up vehicle, and exited towards Auchi in their Toyota Camry and Audi 80 saloon cars.

Some other persons at the scene of the attack also sustained gunshot injuries from sporadic shootings.

Remains of the deceased have been deposited at the morgue of the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, while Mr. Akhimien has been admitted at the accident and emergency ward of the hospital.

The Divisional Police Officer in charge of Ekpoma Division, Okpako Omuohowo, confirmed the incident, saying that investigation was going on.

Mr. Omuohowo, however, denied the killing of any police personnel during the attack and declined to give further details on the incident.



-- Premium Times