Kidnappers on motorcycle killed fleeing lawyer —Zamfara NBA

A lawyer, Benedict Azza, was shot dead on Thursday by two suspected gunmen on motorcycle in Gusau, Zamfara State, despite a ban on motorcycles.

Azza, who was a principal partner of BT Azza & Co Chambers based in Gusau, was shot dead while returning to his residence at 8pm.

The state’s NBA chairman, Junaidu Abubakar, confirmed the incident in a statement sent to journalists on Friday.

The statement read, “This is to confirm to you that our colleague and friend, Benedict Torngee Azza Esq is dead. Azza died on Thursday, August 18, 2022 at about 2200 – 2230hrs. While I was in my house, I received three different phone calls from our colleagues informing me that B. T. Azza was shot dead by unknown gunmen and his body was lying on the roadside along a bye-pass near FRSC office, Gusau.”

He added that immediately he received the calls, he rushed to the scene where he met two colleagues; Abdullahi Ibrahim and Ibrahim Gusau including cops and soldiers.

Abubakar stated, “I saw Azza’s body in cold blood on the shoulders of the road. I also saw his vehicle (Lexus Jeep) by the road side.

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“While we were there, Federal Road Safety Corps officials came to the scene with a body bag in which the corpse was deposited and taken by the police to Yariman Bakura Specialists Hospital, Gusau, where the corpse was deposited in the mortuary.

“According to the information, BT Azza was shot dead by two gunmen suspected to be kidnappers who came on a motorcycle. Information has it that the gunmen wanted to kidnap him at his house situated at Saminaka area, behind the FRSC headquarters, bypass Gusau. But he was able to escape, drove his vehicle and ran to the roadside. The gunmen pursued him and shot him dead.’’

Some residents in the area said they heard gunshots and later a sound after a loud sound of a vehicle accident.

One of them, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of attack, said after they came out, they saw the lawyer bleeding in his leg.

The resident added, “The lawyer opened his vehicle’s door, came out and walked to the road where he sat down. He bled and died instantly. The gunshots were three times, indicating that he was probably shot thrice. The assailants fled when they saw people coming to the scene of the incident.’’

The spokesperson for the state police command, Mohammed Shehu, confirmed the incident.

He noted that the police command had drafted its men to apprehend the culprits.

Punch