Following the abduction of the Edo State chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Tony Aziegbemi, the state government stated that it had increased and beefed up security across the state to rescue the abductee from his captors unharmed.
The state chairman of the party was kidnapped by armed men on Friday evening at the entrance to his house after a meeting with Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, at the Government House.
Reacting to the incident, the state government, in a statement made available to newsmen in Benin City, said it was on top of the unfortunate kidnapping of the party’s chairman.
The statement, signed by Chris Nehikhare, Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, added that the state government was working closely with security agencies to ensure the safe release of the chairman and his return to his family.
According to him, “We have also increased surveillance and beefed up security measures across the state to ensure that these criminal activities are quelled and the culprits are brought to justice.
“We encourage residents to go about their lawful businesses without fear and urge them to call the state emergency numbers 112 or 739 to report all suspicious persons or activities within their environs.
“The government reassures that it is committed to protecting the lives and property of Edo residents and will spare no resources in ensuring that the perpetrators of this dastardly act are apprehended and made to face the full wrath of the law,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has condemned the abduction of the PDP chairman.
A statement by the acting state chairman of the party, Jarrett Tenebe, also demanded his immediate release by the abductors.
Tenebe, who said the party received the abduction of his PDP counterpart with rude shock, attributed the incident to the lack of a strong and well-oiled security architecture in the state.
“This kidnapping is one too many in the state, which serves as an overt reminder and wake-up call to the Governor Obaseki-led administration that all is not well in terms of securing the state, which is the primary responsibility of the government.
“That the chairman of the party of a sitting governor can be kidnapped is a testament to the very porous, ill-equipped, and ill-motivated security machinery in the state despite the humongous security vote being collected by Governor Obaseki on a monthly basis.
“The APC, Edo State chapter, uses this medium to demand of the abductors the immediate and unconditional release of the PDP chairman, while we call on the security agencies in the state to leave no stone unturned in the quest to ensure his release unharmed,” he added.