Gunmen kidnap Air Vice Marshal Smith in Lagos

Masked gunmen have abducted Air Vice Marshal Sikiru Smith (retd.), in the Ajah area of Lagos State.

Punch reports that Smith, who is a retired general, was supervising work on a site in the Ajah area of Lagos on Monday, September 27, when masked gunmen invaded the place, shot sporadically and took him away.

Smith is a cousin of former Inspector-General of Police and current Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Musiliu Smith.

The gunmen reportedly whisked the retired general away in a waiting speedboat.

According to an SOS voice note shared by his driver, Corporal Odiji, the retired AVM battled the gunmen before he was subdued.

Odiji said: “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.”

AVM Smith was commissioned into the Nigerian Air Force as a Pilot Officer in 1979 and had a highly successful military career, while combining soldiering with serious academic pursuit.

He holds BSc, MSc, MBA and PhD degrees.

He is also an Alumnus of Harvard University and fellow of many professional bodies including the Nigerian Institute of Management.