The wife of late former speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Zakawanu Garuba has been kidnapped while conveying his corpse to his hometown, Auchi for Burial.
Zakawanu Garuba who was the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly in 2007, died at a private hospital in Abuja after a brief illness in the early hours of Saturday.
The remains of the late politician was being conveyed to Auchi for burial when gunmen attacked the convoy along Abuja-Lokoja expressway.
The wife of the late Speaker, his mother and driver were abducted by the gunmen who ordered the rest of the convoy to continue the journey.
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Expressing shock over the abduction, Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State demanded the immediate release of the abductees.
According to a statement signed by the Governor’s special adviser on media and communication strategy, Crusoe Osagie,
“Governor Godwin Obaseki is deeply saddened by this incident, which he described as distressing more so, with the passing of Rt. Hon. Zakawanu Garuba, earlier today.
“He has ordered the Police Command to ensure that the kidnap victims are rescued. The Commissioner of Police has contacted his Kogi State counterpart and leading the rescue operation.”
There were indications that the widow of the late speaker had been released on Saturday night but it turned out to be his mother. The elder Mrs. Zakawanu had been dropped on the road by the kidnappers after the initial abduction.
According to a report by The Cable, the kidnappers have contacted the family to demand for a ransom on Sunday.
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