Jacob, an indigene of Abiriba in Ohafia local government area of the State, was shot by the gunmen inside his compound at the Ogbor Hill axis off the city centre in Aba North LGA.

Sources within the Ogbor Hill area told The Nation the gunmen who apparently trailed the deceased from a certain location, followed the deceased into his compound, shot and left him in the pool of his blood, raising suspicion that they were hired assassins.

Abia Police Command Public Relations Officer, SP Geoffrey Ogbonna, said that he was yet to receive information on the incident.

But a source close to the family, who pleaded anonymity, confirmed the incident, adding that it was not a case of assassination as being speculated but a failed kidnap attempt.

The source added Jacob died after about two hospitals rejected him because of his critical state.

The source stated the victim was confirmed death at the third private hospital where he was rushed to because he had lost a lot of blood.

The source said: “This is neither the first nor the third kidnapping attempt on the man and his wife which they escaped miraculously.

“The wife had once escaped from where the kidnappers kept her. The husband had on several occasions escaped from them.

“At one occasion, they took him but he managed to escape from them and they left with his car which was never found till today.

“But this one, they trailed him from where God knows and entered his compound with him.

“From what we got, they came to kidnap him. But in the process, he tried escaping from them. He was not lucky this time as they shot him, leaving him in the pool of his blood.

“The wife from what we learnt thought that they left with him; they she thought that the gun was shot into the air to scare people, not knowing that the husband was lying in the pool of his blood.

“It was when she came out afterwards, still afraid, that she now realised that the gunmen shot at the husband in their compound. By that time he has lost a lot of blood.

“She raised alarm and people gathered and rushed the husband to the hospital.

“About two hospitals rejected to admit him because of his state at that time. It was another popular hospital that admitted him, but could barely do little as he has lost a lot of blood.

“It is a shock on us and the entire Abiriba community living in Aba. Just a few weeks, we have buried and lost so many of our dear ones.’’