Gunmen kill lawyer in Zamfara

A lawyer, Barr. Benedict Azza, has been shot dead close to his residence in Gusau, Zamfara State capital.

The attack occurred on Thursday night, barely one week after the state government had announced ban on motorbikes in parts of Gusau metropolis.

Azza, who was a principal partner of BT Azza & Co Chambers based in Gusau, was reportedly shot dead while returning to his residence around 8pm.

The state’s NBA chairman, Barrister Junaidu Abubakar, confirmed the incident in a statement on Friday.

The statement reads in part, “This is to confirm to you that our colleague and friend, Benedict Torngee Azza Esq, is dead.

“While I was in my house, I received three different phone calls from our colleagues informing me that B. T. Azza Esq. was shot dead by unknown gunmen and his body was lying on the roadside along Bypass near FRSC office, Gusau.

“Immediately after receiving the information, I rushed to the scene where I met our colleagues, Abdullahi Ibrahim Esq. and Ibrahim Sani Gusau Esq. with a number of security personnel. I saw BT Azza’s body lying in cold blood on the shoulders of the road.

“While we were there, FRSC’s personnel came to the scene with a body bag in which the body was deposited and taken to Yariman Bakura Specialists Hospital, Gusau by the police.

“According to the information, BT Azza was shot dead by 2 unknown gunmen suspected to be kidnappers who came on a motorcycle.

“The information has it that, the gunmen wanted to kidnap him at his house situated at Saminaka Area, behind Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Headquarters, Bypass Gusau, but he was able to escape, drove his vehicle and run to the road side. The gunmen pursued him and shot him dead.”

Meanwhile, residents of the area said they heard some gunshots and after a while they heard a loud bang.

The spokesperson for the police in the state, SP Mohammed Shehu, confirmed the incident, adding that, “the police command has since drafted its personnel to go after the culprits.”