BENIN – The President of Igueben Area Customary Court, Mrs Precious Aigbo­noga, was on Monday abducted by gunmen, around Ugoneki axis, on her way to Court in Igueben Local Govern­ment Area (LGA) of Edo.

The Chairman of the Lion Bar, Chief Nosa Edo-Osagie, in a statement by Mr Festus Usiobaifo, the Publicity Secre­tary of the Nigerian Bar Asso­ciation (NBA), Benin branch, expressed sadness over the ab­duction.

Edo-Osagie, while condemn­ing the act in strong terms, ex­pressed worry over bandits oper­ation in the area and kidnapping of Aigbonoga, who he described as an easygoing, gentle, and hard­working judicial officer.

“Meanwhile, the Dream Team is in close touch with the Commissioner of Police, C.P. Mo­hammed Adamu Dankwara; by the grace of God Almighty, His Honour shall be rescued unhurt, and the bandits brought to book, Amen!,” he said.

The abduction is coming on the heels of Saturday’s abduction of 32 passengers waiting to board a train from the Igueben Station in the Igueben LGA of the state to Warri in Delta, by suspected herdsmen.

The kidnapped court’s pres­ident is the wife of Mr Afebu Aigbonoga, a PDP House of Assembly Candidate for Etsako West Constituency 1.

In a related development a for­mer Edo State House of Assem­bly member, Festus Edughele was also kidnapped on Monday by suspected gunmen in Ubiaja, on his way from Orhionmwon LGA to Benin.

A former Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Festus Ebea, who confirmed the incident, said his former colleague intended to board the now suspended train service from Ubiaja to Abuja.

Ebea said, “he was kidnapped this morning in Ubiaja on his way from Orhionmwon to Be­nin.

“He had intended to take the train for Ubiaja but he could not do so since the train services had been suspended.

“The family is aware of his kidnap, the police division in that area has been informed and we hope action will be taken to res­cue him,” he added.

Contacted, the Edo Police Command Public Relations Of­ficer, SP Chidi Nwabuzor, could not comment on the the alleged abduction, as he refused answer all calls put across his cell phone.