Widow of ex-Edo speaker abducted on the way to his burial

The widow of Zakawanu Garuba, former speaker of the Edo state house of assembly, was abducted on the way to his burial on Saturday.

The deceased, who was speaker of Edo assembly between 2007 and 2009, died after a brief illness in Abuja on Saturday.

The family was taking his corpse to Auchi in Edo when gunmen stopped their convoy along Lokoja-Abuja highway in Kogi state.

The deceased’s mother, his wife and children were in a car behind the ambulance conveying his corpse when the incident happened.

The gunmen had ordered Garuba’s widow, his mother and driver to follow them while orhers were allowed to continue their journey to Edo.

Ayuba Ede, commissioner of police in Kogi, confirmed the incident but did not give details.

However, Johnson Kokumo, the police commissioner in Edo, said efforts were being made to rescue those abducted.

“I have been informed of the unfortunate incident and we are working to ensure that the remaining persons get to Auchi safely while the Kogi State Police is working on the situation to ensure the woman is rescued,” he said.