PDP demands release of abducted Edo chairman, others

The Peoples Democratic Party has demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the chairman of its Edo State Chapter, Dr. Tony Aziegbemi.

According to reports, Aziegbemi was abducted by a group of armed individuals near his home in Benin City, the capital of Edo State on Friday.

He was reportedly trailed by his abductors, who drove two Toyota Corolla cars and intercepted his vehicle along Odaro Street, near his residence, around 11 pm.

The PDP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, on Saturday, raised concerns regarding the abduction of Aziegbemi, linking it to the inability of the All Progressives Congress-controlled Federal Government to uphold the security and welfare of Nigerians as required by Section 14 (2)(b) of the Constitution.

The statement read in part, “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 abductor’s den.

“It is heartrending that the APC administration continues to give false assurances while Nigerians are left at the mercy 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 ensures the safety of citizens, but also guarantees rapid respond 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.”

The party called upon the security agencies to ensure the liberation of Aziegbemi and all other Nigerians currently being held captive in the camps of kidnappers across different regions of the nation.

It added, “The party also commends the efforts of the Edo State Governor, Governor Godwin Obaseki, particularly in the deployment of effective security frameworks and structures which the security agencies should leverage on to further guarantee the safety of citizens in Edo State and other parts of the country.

“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.”