Gunmen abduct court president, ex-lawmaker in Edo

Gunmen on Monday abducted the president of a customary court in Edo State, South-south Nigeria.

The victim, Precious Aigbonoga, who is the President of Igueben Area Customary Court in Edo, was abducted on her way to the court, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

NAN reported that the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Benin City has confirmed the incident.

The Chairperson of a local branch of the lawyers’ union in the state, Nosa Edo-Osagie, expressed sadness over the incident.

He described Mrs Aigbonoga as an easygoing, gentle, and hardworking judicial officer.

Customary courts are the lowest in the hierarchy of courts in Nigeria. Their focus is on resolving disputes around local customs.

The abducted legal officer, Mrs Aigbonoga, is the wife of a Peoples Democratic Party candidate for Etsako West State Constituency 1, Edo State.

Abduction of ex-lawmaker

Gunmen on Monday also abducted a former state lawmaker in Edo, Festus Edughele, in Ubiaja while on his way from Orhionmwon Local Government Area to Benin City.

A former speaker of the Edo House of Assembly, Festus Ebea has confirmed the abduction of his former colleague.

The latest incidents occurred after Saturday’s terror attack on a train station in the state.

Thirty-one people were said to be missing – most likely abducted by the attackers of the train station, which the police said are “herdsmen”.

The victims were waiting to board a train from the Igueben Station in the Igueben Local Government Area of the state to Warri in the neighbouring Delta State.

The train station has been shut down by the Nigerian government after the attack.

The former speaker, Mr Ebea said the abducted former lawmaker “had intended to take the train for Ubiaja but he could not do so since the train services had been suspended.

“The family is aware of his kidnap, the police division in that area has been informed and we hope action will be taken to rescue him,” he added.

NAN reported that the police spokesperson in Edo, Chidi Nwabuzor, did not respond to calls seeking comment on the abduction of the former lawmaker and the court president.

Abduction-for-ransom has become one of the prevalent crimes in many Nigerian cities.

The attack on the train station in Edo occurred about 10 months after terrorists attacked a moving train in Kaduna, North-west Nigeria. Some people were killed and dozens of other passengers kidnapped in the Kaduna incident.

Some passengers spent months with the kidnappers before they were released, either after their relatives paid ransom or after the government negotiated their release.

(NAN)