One resident has been killed, a businessman kidnapped, millions stolen by gunmen during a daring attack on Ozuwaya Street in Okene town, Okene local government area of Kogi State.
21st CENTURY CHRONICLE gathered that the businessman, identified as Abdulaziz, owns a large pharmacy store in Okene, with subsidiaries in the Ogaminana area of the state.
A resident who simply identified as Malam Abu told our reporter that the gunmen also carted away a large amount of money during the attack.
The witness said four gunmen stormed the area at about 3pm on Sunday and shot sporadically in the air to scare the residents, but the residents refused to run.
Gunmen told us they came for business – Winess
“The sporadic sound of gunshots woke me from sleep,” Abu said.
“The commotion and voices charged with fear made me come out of my room. People in their hundreds, armed with stones, were shouting. I could not get anybody’s attention and I went through the crowd and to my shock and horror two of four men armed with guns, were holding their victim Alhaji Abdulaziz, by his trouser from each side.
“The gunmen told the crowd that they didn’t want to kill anybody, as they were in the area for business. They ordered everybody to step back. They shot a man that charged forward, and he died on the spot. It was after that everyone became scared and people started to disperse. Then the assailants confidently walked away without further confrontation by the residents,” the eyewitness said.
He added that surprisingly, “the main police station in Okene is less than 10 minutes’ drive from the scene of the incident, but no police came to his rescue.”
Another eyewitness, Mr Oke, identified the deceased as Habib Sheidu Anda. He said the deceased, who was in his 40s, worked with a construction site of General Hospital Okene.
Mr Oke also said that the deceased, whose parents are still alive, was the breadwinner of the family.
Gunmen came with boxes posing to buy drugs – Police
In an interview with 21st CENTURY CHRONICLE, the Kogi State Commissioner of Police, Mr Ayuba Ede, said investigation had revealed that the gunmen came with boxes disguised as travelers who wanted to purchase drugs.
He said the victim was alone with his workers when the assailants opened the boxes, brought out guns and ordered him to follow them silently.
“Luckily, people noticed the man was not acting normally. A crowd came out to help him, but there were four men armed with AK 47. They went away in a snatched vehicle; the armedmen’s vehicle was recovered. We trailed blood that stopped at a riverbank through where they escaped.
“An unknown person fired a dane gun from his house at the armed men. We do not know if it is the victim’s blood or the criminals. A man who charged at them was shot and killed instantly.
“We have been combing the general area of their escape but have not got any specific location. Nothing has come up yet, we are trying our best,” the police chief said.
