Gunmen kill driver, abduct expatriate in Edo

It was gathered that the incident happened on Tuesday at Benin-Auchi expressway

Unknown gunmen have shot dead a driver with Hartland Construction Company simply identified as Buhari, in the process of kidnapping an expatriate in Benin, the Edo State capital.

It was gathered that the incident happened on Tuesday at Benin-Auchi expressway, by Ogbemudia farm.

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The state Commissioner of Police, Philip Ogbadu, confirmed the incident and denied a report that a police officer was killed in the attack.

The CP said two police officers escorting the expatriate were involved but had survived the attack, while the gunmen took the expatriate away.

“It happened yesterday (Tuesday). The driver conveying a white man being escorted by two policemen were shot; the driver died but the officers held on to their riffles and they survived.

“The only thing is that the white man was taken away”

He explained that the style the kidnappers use is that on sighting a vehicle, they will immediately open fire to force the vehicle to  stop.

Ogbadu said the command has given expatriates enough protection in the state, noting that gunmen always kidnap them while on transit.

It was earlier reported that the driver and the police officer were coming from the Benin airport where they went to pick the expatriate when the gunmen suddenly appeared from the bush and opened fire on the vehicle.

The driver and the police officer were alleged to have died on the spot while the gunmen whisked the expatriate into the bush.