Gunmen kidnap Air Vice Marshal Oladimeji Smith in Lagos

Former Chief of Logistics, Nigerian Air Force (NAF), Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Sikiru Oladimeji Smith (RTD) has been kidnapped by masked gunmen in Lagos State.

The sad incident occurred on Monday evening around Ajah where the victim was reportedly working on a site.

When contacted, the state’s Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Adekunle Ajisebutu, confirmed the incident.

The PPRO, who was unable to give details of the incident, said: “We are aware of the abduction and we are on it”.

Similarly, Corporal Odiji, driver of the victim who raised the alarm in an audio on Tuesday morning, said the gunmen were shooting sporadically before whisking his boss away to an unknown destination.

He said, “Please, this is an emergency. I am Corporal Odiji attached to AVM Smith. Oga was just moved from the site we were working. Some gunmen wearing masks just came, pulled him out of the site.

“They shot everywhere and took him away. I was nearby where he asked me to fix his vehicle. I am his driver. As I was coming back, I saw them where they went on a boat through the water. I was not armed. So, I ran to the site and found Oga’s glasses and where he struggled with them before they took him off”.

Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Sikiru Oladimeji Smith is a retired Chief of Communications Officer at the Nigerian Ministry of Defense. Prior to his pre-retirement position as AVM Chief of Communications, Smith was Commander 401 of The Aircraft Maintenance Depot and Chief of Logistics at The Nigerian Air Force. Sikiru Smith is also Author of non-fiction book Civil Militia and Nigeria’s National security, unveiled in Lagos State in 2013. Since retirement, he has served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of his company, Double Wealth Ventures Limited. He has a Honorary Doctorate Degree in Defense and Strategic Studies.