Pandemonium broke out at the Airport junction, Effurun, Delta State, on Sunday as suspected assassins shot dead a police orderly and personal driver of a notable chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in the State, Chief Michael Johnny.
The incident occurred around 11.12am as the killers, who operated in a yellow Lexus SUV, allegedly trailed Johnny’s red Venza car to the spot, where they opened fire on the two occupants.
Eyewitnesses said the orderly was shot in the head, while the driver was shot in the abdomen and both men died on the spot.
The eyewitnesses said the gunmen fled the scene in their waiting vehicle after killing the men and did not remove any item from the victims’ car, including the service rifle of the policeman.
It was gathered that the incident happened shortly after the deceased driver and police orderly had dropped off the politician’s wife at an unnamed church.
The gunmen were believed to be after Johnny and his wife, neither of whom was in the vehicle when the men struck.
Johnny, an APC leader from the Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South-West Local Government Area of the state, confirmed the incident and claimed that the killers were after him and his family.
He affirmed that his wife was not in the vehicle when the gunman opened fire.
While condemning the assassination of the police escort and his personal driver, the politician stated that he had reported the incident to the authorities and that an inquiry had begun.
The acting Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Bright Edafe, confirmed the attack, saying an inquiry had been initiated.
