Tragedy struck in Avbiama Commu­nity, Ikpoba Okha LGA of Edo state when a Police officer, Sergeant Sunday Eguakun and a lawyer, Barrister Agbontaen Odiase were allegedly murdered by unidentified gunmen.

Barrister Odiase was killed before his wife and chil­dren in his residence at Odiase Street, off Pipeline Road, Upper Sokponba, while Sgt Eguakun was shot dead in Ogbemudia Street, off Avbiama Road, both in Avbiama commu­nity.

Sgt Eguakun who was attached to the Iyase of Be­nin Kingdom, Chief Sam Igbe was said to have been killed a distance away from his residence while driving at about 9pm last Monday while Barr Odiase was murdered around 10pm by a gang of gunmen who operated uncontested.

The pregnant wife of Barrister Odiase who was the head of a private Benin-based legal firm revealed that aside her husband’s phone, the gunmen did not take away any other item from them.

She said, “About 10pm, we were watching cartoon in my children’s room, suddenly we heard a bang inside the compound.

“My husband jumped up from the bed, we peeped through the win­dow and saw a boy half naked with a scar on his head. My husband started making calls. Before we knew it, they shot and broke through the window and were inside with us.

“They told my husband to shout or call anybody he wanted to call as they were ready for him that night. I quickly took my three children to the oth­er room while the eldest child ran back to meet his father with the three gun­men.

“Then, I heard two gun shots and everywhere was silent. Thereafter, they said to themselves, let us go the man is dead.”

Owner of the legal firm, Barr Chris Agbon­wanegbe who said “Barrister Odiase’s brain was a store house of legal authorities” charged security agencies to be discreet in their in­vestigation.

It was learnt that the police sergeant met his death few hours after in­forming his wife that he would return home after a mechanic fixed his car that fateful day.

“My husband called me in the afternoon to inform me that he would not travel again and he was preparing to return to the house.

“About 8pm I called my husband because he does not come home late. He said the mechanic was still working on his car and that he has bought a torch for him to work with. I waited throughout the night I did not see or hear from him.

“The following morn­ing, somebody came to the house to inform me that my husband was shot dead before this street,” wife of the Police Sergeant mourned.