Unknown gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have abducted Air Vice Marshal Sikiru Smith (retd.) in Lagos State.
Smith, a cousin to a former Inspector-General of Police and current Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Musiliu Smith, was kidnapped in the Ajah axis of Lagos on Monday, according to the Punch.
According to the report, the retired two-star general, who is currently the Chairman of Double Wealth Ventures Limited – a dredging and engineering firm – was supervising work on a site in the Ajah area of Lagos State on Monday when masked gunmen invaded the place and shot sporadically.
His driver, Corporal Odiji, said his principal was hurriedly moved to a speedboat and driven away after he had unsuccessfully tried to wriggle himself away from his captors.
Odiji said in an SOS voice note: “This is an emergency. I am Corporal Odiji attached to Air Vice Marshal Smith. They just abducted him from the site where we were working. Some gunmen who were wearing masks just came and snatched my boss now. They shot everywhere. I was near where I was fixing my boss’ vehicle.
“As I was coming, I saw them leaving in a boat but I wasn’t armed so I just ran to the site and I saw his glasses and where he struggled with them. Please pass this information. It is an emergency.”
However, the Lagos Police Command and the Nigerian Navy are yet to issue statements or confirm the development.
AVM Smith was commissioned into the Nigerian Air Force as a Pilot Officer in 1979 and had a highly successful military career that combined soldering with serious academic pursuit.
He holds BSc, MSc, MBA and PhD degrees. He is an Alumnus of Harvard University and fellow of many professional bodies including the Institute of Management, Nigeria.
Smith attended several military courses both locally and overseas which include flying and engineering. He was awarded numerous military decorations such as Distinguished Service Star, Pass Staff College (Dagger) and Fellow of the prestigious National Defence College.
The notable appointments he held include Commanding Officer Air Engineering Wing, Sierra Leone/Liberia; Commander, Nigerian Air Force Station, Calabar; Deputy Director, Air Engineering, Nigeria Air Force Headquarters, Abuja, Commander 333 Logistics Group, Kaduna, Commander, 401 Aircraft Maintenance Depot, Ikeja; Chief of Logistics, Nigerian Air Force Headquarters, Abuja and Chief of Defence Communications, Defence Headquarters, Abuja.
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