Gunmen shoot tricycle operator in Aba for foiling kidnap attempt
Armed bandits, suspected to be kidnappers, on Friday, are reported to have shot a yet-to-be-identified tricycle operator in the head in Aba, the commercial hub of Abia. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the incident happened around 7am at Park Road/George’s Street, Aba. SP Geoffrey Ogbonna, spokesman of the police command in the […]
Armed bandits, suspected to be kidnappers, on Friday, are reported to have shot a yet-to-be-identified tricycle operator in the head in Aba, the commercial hub of Abia.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the incident happened around 7am at Park Road/George’s Street, Aba.
SP Geoffrey Ogbonna, spokesman of the police command in the state, confirmed the incident in an interview with NAN.
Ogbonna, however, said information available to him showed that the victim was rushed to a hospital after the shooting “contrary to the rumour that he died and was moved to a mortuary.”
A witness account showed that the victim was shot because he allegedly foiled an attempt by the gunmen to forcefully seize a woman from his tricycle.
The witness further said that the hoodlums were on the trail of the lady because they suspected she had a substantial amount of money on her.
It was learnt that the hoodlums shot the tricycle operator after the lady’s escape.
The witness said: “Everything happened so sudden. I was strolling to buy soap and suddenly I saw some young men inside a tricycle chasing another tricycle that sped past me.
“When I turned, I saw that the first tricycle was trying to run over a crossroad and suddenly a girl disembarked from it and ran.
“And all of a sudden, I heard gunshot, which made everybody to scamper to safety.
“When I got closer to the spot, I saw the tricycle operator lying face down on his tricycle. They had shot him in the head.”
The police spokesman said the command had commenced investigation into the incident and gave the assurance that the hoodlums would be fished out. (NAN)