The legal luminary was reportedly earlier billed to travel along with the convoy of Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, from Benin City to the governor's hometown, Iyamoh, near Auchi, in Etsako West, but missed the governor's convoy narrowly due the late arrival from Lagos, where he had a court session, to Benin City.
National Daily exclusively gathered that the
lawyer was on his way from Benin City between Ehor and Iruekpen, when
his kidnappers who were in a Toyota Hilux and a Toyota Camry, shot at
the front right-side tyre of the Toyota Prado conveying him.
The sporadic shootings by the gunmen reportedly
forced the car to grind to a halt, after which and the gunmen
kidnapped their Ozekhome along with his driver. The occupants in a
Toyota Camry car that ran into the scene were also kidnapped along.
Our sources further revealed that an eye witness,
a motorist, who narrowly escaped from the scene of the crime, because
he was driving inward Benin City immediately alerted the police at Ehor
Division, that gunmen were wreaking havoc on that portion of the
highway.
The policemen who were led by the Divisional
Police Officer responded in a Toyota Hilux and a Prado to the distress
call were themselves ambushed by the gunmen who shot severally at the
police vehicles.
It was gathered that at the end of the shootings,
four policemen were lying dead while the Divisional Police Officer who
was personally driving the Police Toyota Prado that responded to the
distress call was shot in his hand.
On receiving information about the attack, the Edo
Police Commissioner led other Senior Police Officers from the Command
to the scene of the crime.
On arrival, a search was conducted and mobile
phones were found in Ozekhome's car. On checking through one of the
phone, a police officer initiated a call to one of the numbers on the
phone contact which was saved as 'my wife.'
The voice on the other side of the phone confirmed
that the phone belonged to her husband who was a driver of Mike
Ozekhome. When the car was described to her on phone, she confirmed
that the car belonged to Mike Ozekhome, SAN.
During a further search by the officer files bearing Mike Ozekhome Chambers, his wig, gown and clothing were found in the car.
The Prado, and the bullet ridden cars of the
police were all removed from the roadside to the premises of the Ehor
Divisional Police Station, which is now being strengthened with the
arrival of heavily armed anti-riot police detachments from Benin City.
The station is also being supervised by a more senior police officer
while the wounded DPO and other survivors are in the hospital.
National Daily learnt that a matching order has
been issued by the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar,
to the leadership of the police in the state to track the kidnappers
and free their victims.
Oshiomhole is said to have called on all the
helmsmen of the various security agencies in the state to do all they
can to rescue Ozekhome and other victims.
It will be recalled that the wife, daughter and
driver of Supreme Court Justice Bode Rhodes-Vivour were kidnapped in
similar circumstances in Benin City, in May this year, but later
released after undisclosed ransom was paid.
Three members of the gang that kidnapped the wife,
daughter and driver of the Supreme Court Justice, were among seven
suspects paraded by the State Security Services (SSS) in Benin City,
early July.
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