Kidnappers seem to have turned the heat on Lagos, as five persons have been reported kidnapped from different locations in the Centre of Excellence within five days – including a retired Air Vice Marshal.
AVM Sikiru Smith (rtd) was kidnapped around 6pm on Monday September 27 at a building site near Blenco Mall on Addo Road, in the Ajah area of Lagos.
His abductors reportedly fired shots into the air and whisked him away.
Before AVM Smith’s abduction on Monday, one Kingsley Ogbuagu was abducted on Sunday near Catholic Church of Visitation in FESTAC Town.
Even before that, a couple had been kidnapped in Dopemu, in Agege area of Lagos, while another victim was abducted at Admiralty Way, Lekki, on Friday while returning from work.
AVM Smith is the cousin to a former Inspector-General of Police and current Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Musiliu Smith.
After his retirement, he had reportedly ventured into the dredging business, and was at a site supervising work when he was whisked away by gunmen in a waiting speedboat.
His driver, Corporal Odiji, claimed that his boss struggled with his abductors before he was subdued and taken away.
He said: “This is an emergency. I am Corporal Odiji attached to Air Vice Marshal Smith. They just abducted him from the site where we were working.
“Some gunmen who were wearing masks just came and snatched my boss now. They shot everywhere. I was near where I was fixing my boss’s vehicle.
“As I was coming, I saw them leaving in a boat, but I wasn’t armed so I just ran to the site and I saw his glasses and where he struggled with them.
“Please pass this information. It is an emergency.”
Another victim, Ogbuagu, who was kidnapped on Sunday, had packed his car and was about to enter the church when three masked gunmen accosted him and bundled him into a Lexus Sports Utility Vehicle and drove off.
A human rights activist, Harrison Gwamnishu, confirmed the incident.
Gwamnishu said Ogbuagu was abducted by gunmen around Catholic Church of the Visitation, FESTAC Town, in the Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos.
The unnamed couple who also fell victim were said to have been abducted when they were returning from a function on Saturday at Dopemu, Agege area.
But the police could not confirm the abduction of the couple.
When contacted, the Lagos State Command Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Adekunle Ajisebutu, simply said: “We are only aware of the Ajah incident and we are on it.