As the April 24 date set for the commencement of Edo State governorship election campaigns draw nearer, the state’s Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, has been kidnapped and taken away to an unknown destination.
Dr. Aziegbemi was abducted by unknown gunmen on Osaro Street in the Government Reservation Area (GRA) of Benin at about 11 pm on Friday after attending a meeting at the Government House.
According to reports, the state PDP boss was abducted at a section of Osaro Street where there were speed breakers.
The victims driver, Joseph Impete narrated how his boss was kidnapped: “When we left Government House, Benin around 11 pm on Friday, and headed for the private residence of my boss, I observed that two cars were trailing us, so I decided to divert.
“We never knew that they were kidnappers.
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“Some minutes later, the same cars appeared behind us at a section where there are speed-breakers, and their vehicles were suddenly used to block the SUV of my boss in the front.
“The men then pointed guns at us, ordered him to enter one of their cars and drove away.
“The gunmen abandoned my boss’ car on Sapele Road, Benin.”
Edo State Police Command, through the PPRO, Chidi Nwabuzor, a Superintendent of Police (SP) has confirmed the incident.
Nwabuzor in a press statement issued on Saturday, stated that the Edo State Commissioner of Police, CP Funsho Adegboye, had ordered the tactical teams of the command to work in collaboration with the vigilance groups and hunters to rescue Aziegbemi unhurt while his abductors should also be apprehended and prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to other criminals.
According to the release, the CP said: “The command wishes to inform the general public that it is aware of the kidnap of Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, the state’s Chairman of PDP on Friday, 15/03/2024, at about 2345hrs. The information of his kidnap was received from his driver, Joseph Impete, who reported the incident at the New Etete Division, Benin City.
“The driver, who is an eyewitness to the horrible incident, reported that on 15/03/2024, the victim of kidnap, Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, attended a meeting at the Edo State Government House, Benin City, and on their way returning home from the meeting, close to his house, six armed men in a convoy of two white Toyota Corolla saloon car, registration number unknown, accosted them along Bishop (Dr.) J.O.E. Edokpolor Boulevard Junction, off Country Home Road, GRA, Benin City, and immediately, Dr. Aziegbemi jumped out of his ash Toyota Prado Jeep for the safety of his dear life while the driver also ran out of the vehicle and lay on the ground, but the hoodlums chased Dr. Aziegbemi and threatened to shoot him if he refused to stop.
“So, he stopped, and they seized him, threw him inside his Toyota Prado Jeep, and took him away to an unknown destination.”
The CP asked for the cooperation of citizens of the state, by giving useful and timely information that would lead to the arrest of the perpetrators of Aziegbemi’s kidnap as well as his quick rescue.
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has yesterday called on the government to ensure the immediate and unconditional release of Aziegbemi.
The People’s Democratic Party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Debo Ologunagba, made the call in a press statement which blamed the nation’s security challenges on the ruling All Progressives’ Congress (APC).
According to the press statement: “The PDP expresses serious concerns over Dr. Aziegbemi’s abduction, which further points to the alarming failure of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-controlled Federal Government in its primary duty to ensure the security and welfare of Nigerians as provided under Section 14 (2)(b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).
“Our Party is distressed by the alarming spate of abduction of helpless Nigerians in various parts of the country, particularly the recent kidnap of about 286 school children in Kaduna State and others in Sokoto State, who are still being held in horrifying and traumatising conditions in their abductors’ den.
“It is heartrending that the APC administration continues to give false assurances while Nigerians are left at the mercies of kidnappers, bandits, terrorists and marauders without corresponding concrete effort to check the ugly occurrences.
“Our Party calls on the Federal Government to end its laidback attitude to security by immediately rejigging our national security architecture, especially in the areas of intelligence gathering, security command and control coordination in a manner that not only proactively ensure the safety of citizens, but also guarantees rapid response and effective rescue operations.
“The PDP commends our gallant security personnel in their patriotic effort to secure our nation and urges them not to relent despite the daunting challenges.
“While calling on Nigerians to be prayerful, alert and continue to support our security agencies, the PDP charges the Security high command to take urgent steps to secure the release of Dr. Aziegbemi and all other Nigerians trapped in abductors’ camps in various parts of the country.”
