ADC Senatorial Candidate’s Father Allegedly Abducted, Released In Edo

ADC Senatorial Candidate’s Father Allegedly Abducted, Released In Edo

Edo South senatorial candidate of the National Democratic Party, Mathew Iduoriyekemwen has alleged that his father, Joseph Iduoriyekemwen, the Odionwere of Amagba community, was abducted by men suspected to be men of the Edo State Security Corp at about 4am on Tuesday morning.

The senatorial candidate said the armed men whisked away his father without offering any explanation but told him to report the matter to the police.

He said, “I can say that my father was abducted by men of the ESSC. They didn’t allow me to talk to him and they told me to report to the police.

However, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Kassim Afegbua in a statement called for the release of the father, saying the government or its agencies had nothing to do with the abduction

The statement read, “The reported abduction of 90 years old Pa Joseph Iduoriyekemwen by unknown gun men is morally reprehensible and should be condemned in its entirety. More worrisome is the dubious allegation by some persons that this could be a politically motivated kidnap or abduction, even when information about the act remains sketchy.

“The hasty manner to quickly accuse the government of orchestrating this dastardly act or linking every incident to politics is most unfortunate. A government that has continued to place emphasis on security should be appreciated and commended, and not this culture of making political insinuations to score cheap political points. What could possibly be the motivation for anyone to abduct such a father and grandfather?

Afegbua said that the Governor Monday Okpebholo has invested heavily in our security infrastructure and the level of alertness across the state and Benin City metropolis has been topnotch, noting that “this present act of criminality presents a disturbing trend at a time we thought such act was no longer possible.”

He added, “As a government, we remain undaunted in our resolve to provide water tight security across the state. The Governor has immediately directed the security agencies to work in collaboration and synergy to seek the release of Pa Joseph within the next twenty-four hours.

“Just last week, the Special Court we set up to prosecute kidnapping cases sentenced four kidnappers to death for their nefarious activities that involved murder and kidnap. We thought that pronouncement would serve as a deterrent to those who are notorious for crimes and criminalities.

“This latest abduction is a huge slap in the face, and the Governor has vowed to fish out the perpetrators soonest. Governor Okpebholo’s approach to combating insecurity is unequivocal. He will go the whole length to make Edo state safe for all irrespective of political persuasion and affiliation.

“Therefore, anyone who has useful information should please avail the security agencies of such information in order to track and arrest the culprit(s) of this condemnable act. The Governor has called on the security agencies to rescue Pa Joseph and safely return him to rejoin his family within the next twenty-four hours.

However, the nonagenarian, was said to have been released by his abductors following the widespread public outcry over his reported unlawful abduction.

Adding that We welcome the news of his release and are grateful that Pa Joseph Iduoriyekemwen, who is now free and able to return to his family.

“We also appreciate everyone who raised their voices and expressed concern over the incident. The rights, dignity and safety of every citizen, regardless of age or political affiliation, must always be respected and protected,” a family source stated.