 of the Petroleum Retailers Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria){kind=link}
Gunmen have kidnapped Obasi Lawson, Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Petroleum Retailers Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), in the Azumini area of Abia State.
The attack, which occurred on Tuesday evening, also claimed the lives of his driver, Anayo Ukwu, and his special assistant, Mazi Confidence Chijioke.
According to a statement by PETROAN official Joseph Obele, the assailants ambushed Lawson’s SUV around 7 p.m. on March 4, 2025, killing Ukwu and Chijioke on the spot.
However, three policemen assigned to Lawson reportedly escaped unharmed.
Mazi Confidence Chijioke, a prominent PETROAN member, was the vice chairman of the association’s Rivers State chapter and managing director of Dozzman Filling Stations.
His sudden death comes at a critical time, as he was preparing to commission a new multimillion-naira filling station in Port Harcourt.
Reacting to the attack, PETROAN National President Dr. Billy Gillis-Harry expressed grief, describing Chijioke’s murder as a devastating loss for the association.
PETROAN calls for urgent police action
Following the abduction, PETROAN has appealed to the Inspector General of Police to launch an immediate rescue operation to secure Lawson’s release.
The association has also demanded an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the escape of the three policemen who were present during the attack.
“We are calling on the Inspector General of Police to intervene swiftly and ensure the safe return of Chief Obasi Lawson,” Obele said.
The association also extended condolences to Chijioke’s family and the leadership of its Rivers State chapter, led by Francis Dimkpa.