Barr. Benedict Azza, a lawyer, was shot and killed in Gusau, the capital of Zamfara State, not far from his home.
Only a week had passed since the state government had issued a ban on motorbikes in certain areas of Gusau metropolis when the attack took place on Thursday night.
Azza, a key partner of the Gusau-based law firm BT Azza & Co Chambers, was reportedly shot and killed while he was walking back to his home at about 8:00 p.m.
Barrister Junaidu Abubakar, the state’s NBA chairman, confirmed the event 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.”
Residents of the neighborhood reported hearing gunshots in the meanwhile, followed by a big bang.
The incident was confirmed by the state’s police spokesperson, SP Mohammed Shehu, who also said that “the police leadership has since drafted its troops to go for the criminals.”
