As men of the Edo State Police Command yesterday intensified efforts to effect the release of kidnapped human rights’ activist and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, (SAN), Mike Ozekhome, a chieftain of the All Progressives’ Congress, Mr. Athanasius Ugbome has also been reportedly kidnapped.
Ugbome was said to have been traveling a few minutes ahead of Ozekhome on the same Benin-Auchi Road that Ozekhome was kidnapped on, and it is suspected that he might have been kidnapped by the same set of kidnappers.
Ozekhome was abducted on Friday afternoon with his driver on his way to village at Ehor along Benin-Auchi Road. A gun duel ensued between the kidnappers and policemen who responded to his distress call. Four of the policemen were killed, while most of the kidnappers escaped with bullet wounds.
Security operatives are said to be combing forests and likely hideouts in the neighboring states of Ondo and Delta States.
He was abducted Friday afternoon with his driver.
Meanwhile, the Afenmai Youth Coalition (AYC), where Ozekhome hails from, expressed regret that Chief Ozekhome was kidnapped while on his way to Afenmai land despite the fact that he “has struggled over the years for good governance, equality, justice, and accountability in governance. He has fought for the poor and has fought for the rich. He has defended the defenceless and has offered pro bono legal services to the disadvantaged in society”.
While commending the bravery exhibited by the police officers that lost their lives, the Afenmai youths expressed their “profound condolences to the families of the four gallant policemen who fought to stop the abduction but lost their lives in the process. May the Almighty God grant them eternal rest. We call on the federal government to immortalise them as well as take over the educational and general upkeep of their as an incentive to brave security men and women whose lives are on the line daily for the rest of us”.
“We therefore call on the security agencies to do all within their powers to immediately free Chief Ozekhome from his abductors and reunite him with his family, friends, and his primary constituency – the downtrodden. On our part, we have directed our security committee to assist the security agencies in any way by immediately mobilising Afenmai youths to liaise and collaborate with them to ensure that Chief Ozekhome is released unhurt. We appeal to the abductors to please free him now. An injury to one is an injury to all,” the youths said.