Ex Edo Assembly Speaker, Zakawanu Garuba,

By Jethro Ibileke

It was double tragedy for the family of the late former Speaker of Edo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Zakawanu Garuba, who died Saturday morning, as gunmen suspected to be kidnappers abducted his wife, three children and driver same day.

Zakawanu Garuba reportedly died Saturday morning at an Abuja hospital of undisclosed ailment.

Mrs. Hassana Garuba and her children who were on their returning home from Abuja, were reportedly kidnapped Saturday afternoon along Auchi/Abuja road, between Okene in Kogi state and Okpella in Edo state.

It was gathered that she was   on her way to Auchi with her children and her late husband’s mother, ahead of the corpse, in preparation for the burial ceremony when the gunmen-wielding stormed out of the bush and took them to custody.

The ex lawmaker’s aged mother was however left behind by the kidnappers.

Meanwhile, the State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has tasked the police to launch a rescue operation for Mrs. Garuba and the other victims.

The Governor in a statement by his media aide, Crusoe Osagie, said the incident was brought to the attention of security agencies in the state.

“He [Obaseki] has ordered the police command to ensure that the kidnap victims are rescued.

“The Commissioner of Police has contacted his Kogi State counterpart and leading the rescue operation.

“The Governor has ensured that the police gets all the necessary support to track down the kidnappers and fast-track the safe rescue of the victims,” he said.