Eleven days after he was kidnapped by a gang of gunmen near his house in the Government Reserved Area (GRA) of the Edo State capital city, the State chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, has been released.
Dr. Aziegbemi, who was set free by his abductors in the early hours of Tuesday, March 26, 2024, got to his Benin City residence at about 3am to the waiting arms of family and close friends, who have kept vigil and engaged in all-night prayers ever since he was taken away by the armed men.
Speaking on his mobile phone early Tuesday morning, the PDP chairman said that he was happy to be back home with his family.
Sounding upbeat, he said: “I am back home with my family. I am fine. I am just trying to rest and will talk to you later.”
Dr. Aziegbemi, a former member of the House of Representatives, who represented Esan North-East/Esan South-East federal constituency of Edo State, was said to have been trailed by his abductors who rode in two Toyota Corolla cars on the night of Friday, March 16, 2024 when he was abducted.
The gunmen overtook Aziegbemi’s sports utility vehicle (SUV) at a speed break as it slowed down along Osaro Street, off Country Home Road, close to his house at about 11pm on Friday night before seizing him.
Aziegbemi, who was said to be alone without any police protection, was on his way home after a meeting at the Government House when he was abducted by the gunmen who trailed him.
The gunmen were said to have abandoned the Russian-trained economist’s car along Sapele Road and took him away in their getaway cars.
The circumstances surrounding his release were, however, still murky as at the of this report as the Edo State Police Command’s spokesman, Mr. Chidi Nwanbuzor, who spoke on his mobile phone, simply advised journalists to wait for an official police statement.
“Wait for the official police statement,” Nwanbuzor, a superintendent of police told curious journalists.
It was, however, not immediately clear if a ransom was paid for his release as the abductors had reportedly demanded a princely sum of N50 million before setting him free.
