By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja
GUNMEN suspected to be bandits have reportedly abducted and killed a popular business man, identified as Aloysius Eze in Abugi town, Lokoja Local Government Area of kogi state.
Some indigenes of the town who spoke with newsmen said that the incident occurred on Tuesday when the gunmen invaded the town in the evening shooting sporadically sending fear into residents.
An eye witness said that as the people scampered for safety in the darkness, the gunmen went to the spare parts shop of the businessman abducted him from the front of the shop in Abugi and whisked him away to an unknown location.
The body of the deceased Aloy, a motor spare parts seller, was later discovered in the outskirts of Abugi with the development throwing residents into deep shock and mourning.
According to Ndakwo Enagi, a resident of Abugi, the late business man was widely known and respected being the first to establish a petrol filling station and pure water factory in the town, providing jobs for many and boosting the local economy.
“In fact, late Alloy was a peace-loving man whose investments changed this community. To see him killed this way is really devastating”, he said.
Also speaking, the Community’s youth leader, Baba Yusuf, lamented that with the killing of Aloy in the dastardly manner and daredevil disposition of the gunmen, homes, roads and farms in the community were no longer safe.
“If someone like Aloy who has done so much for Kupa Kingdom, could be killed like this, then nobody is safe. We need urgent intervention”, said Yusuf.
In a related development, armed bandits on Thursday afternoon reportedly kidnapped a commercial bus with all passengers on board on Ejiba-Isanlu-Odo-ere road in Yagba West Local Government of Kogi State.
The gunmen were also alleged to have killed a motorcyclist who was on his way to Isanlu.
The victim was said to be heading to Isanlu on his commercial motorcycle with the serial number 256 according to information shared by Egbe Mekun Parrot, an Egbe social media platform in Yagba West LGA.
Confirming of the two separate incidents, SP William Ovye Aya, spokesman for Kogi state command of the Nigeria Police said the Abugi incident happened on Tuesday, 30th September, around 8.45 pm.
He said that Aloysius Eze was picked from his shop by the hoodlums and the matter was promptly reported to the Police which mobilized and combed the area with the hope of rescuing him only to discover his lifeless body later that night in the bush.
Aya however said that there was no information on the Ejiba kidnap incident yet as he was still awaiting the DPO’s response, adding however, that investigation into the incidents is on-going.
