FROM EMMANUEL ADEYEMI, Lokoja
Barely four weeks after two judges were kidnapped in Kogi State, another Customary Court of Appeal Judge in the state, Mr Isiaka Momoh-Jimoh was on Sunday evening kidnapped while his Police Orderly was killed.
Witnesses said the Judge, an Ebira by tribe, was allegedly returning to Lokoja at about 5.30pm when the some persons flagged down his vehicle at Itakpe- Kuroko road, a bypass to the Abuja-Lokoja- Okene highway and some armed men suspected to be Fulani herds men, hijacked his vehicle.
The witnesses said, immediately the judge Sport Utility Vehicle was flagged down, the gunmen rained bullets on the Police Orderly killing him on the spot while the driver sustained serious injuries from the gun shots before they whisked the judge to an unknown destination.
When contacted for confirmation, the Information Officer attached to the Kogi State Judiciary, Mr Sakeeb Saheed confirmed the incident and told Daily Sun that the driver is currently in a critical condition and is receiving treatment in an undisclosed hospital.
According to him, as at the time of filing in this report, no ransom has so far been demanded by the abductors.
In a similar development, report said two middle aged women were also kidnapped along Obajana- Kabba road last friday morning while coming from Abuja and heading to Ilorin, Kwara State.
Attempts to get the police confirm the kidnap of the two women had been futile as the Police Public Relations Officer, Willy Aya when contacted failed to respond to several calls put to him through his cell phone.
It will be recalled that due to the incessant robbery and kidnapping activities in Kogi State, a helicopter with a detachment of a Special Squad were deplored in Kogi State by the Inspector- General of Police.
The Squad led by a Commissioner of Police combed round the state for about a week and arrested some of the suspected hoodlums, but barely few days after their departure from the state, the hoodlums resumed their nefarious activities.