The widow of the late Hon Zakawanu Garuba(the former Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly) who died in Abuja this morning have been kidnapped by unknown gunmen.
Mrs Hassana Garuba, her three children and the mother-in-law were on their way home from Abuja to prepare for the burial of their bread winner when unknown gunmen abducted the widow and the driver at kabba junction in Kogi State, leaving the three children and their grand mother stranded in the vehicle.
A younger brother of the late Zakawanu Garuba said the kidnappers are yet to establish contact with the family but arrangements have been made to bring the children & their grand mother home.The ex Speaker , was a member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)and was speaker between 2007 and 2009 .He died in Abuja in the early hours of Saturday July 18 after a brief illness at the age of 54
The ex-lawmaker, a former member of the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) was born in the northern Edo State town of Auchi, Etsako West Local Government Area of the state on August 23, 1965.He attended Our Lady of Fatima College, Auchi between 1978 and 1983 before proceeding to the famous Edo College, Benin for his Higher School Certificate, then to Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife, Osun State where he took a degree in law and graduated in 1989, was called
He was the Oshioze of Auchi Kingdom, and was controversially removed as speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly by members of the then Action Congress to pave way for Mr. Bright Omokhodion who defected to the AC from the PDP.
A devout Muslim, the former lawmaker was recently appointed a member of the Governor Godwin Obaseki Governorship campaign organization ,he is survived by a wife and three children.
Meanwhile The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki has expressed shock at news of the kidnap of the wife and other members of the family of the late Rt. Hon. Zakawanu Garuba, former Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, and has tasked the Edo Police Command to immediately launch a rescue operation.
In a statement,by Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Crusoe Osagie, said a rescue operation commenced immediately the incident was brought to the attention of security agencies in the state and the Police Commissioner, Mr. Johnson Kokumo is working with his Kogi State counterpart to ensure the victims’ rescue.
Osagie said, “Governor Godwin Obaseki is deeply saddened by this incident, which he described as distressing more so, with the passing of Rt. Hon. Zakawanu Garuba, earlier today. He 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.”
