Kidnappers Kill Prince Dennis Abuda In Edo State

 PRINCE DENNIS ABUDA

Mr Abuda, the ebullient man in the picture above, is a family head, a realtor and an insurance broker based in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. He is a NIDO member in Atlanta, Georgia.

He hailed from Fugar in Etsako Central LGA of Edo State. He visited Edo State recently. He was set to return from Nigeria last Saturday, back to the USA, in the process of which he was kidnapped in Benin City on his way to boarding a flight for Lagos enroute Atlanta before he could leave Edo State.

His kidnappers demanded N10m. But, regrettably and painfully, killed him before the entire saga could be resolved.

Remember his family and friends in your prayers this night and every other night as you read this dirge!

It is no longer arguable or debatable at this critical time, whether insecurity under the People's Democratic Party (PDP)-government of Edo State is more severe than insecurity in any other state or part of Nigeria or not.  But what is crystally clear, however, is that the number of morbid and mortal victims of kidnapping and killings that are reported in Edo State is now grossly understated compared to unreported cases of insecurity and violence in Edo State.

For a state government, which Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, allegedly pockets about N750m as monthly security vote but which has largely been confused, incompetent and unsupportive of security agencies in the state with adequate new and modern tools, technique and architecture to tackle crimes and violence, and which local government council chairmen also emulate to pocket tens of millions of naira monthly as security vote, it has rather become convenient for the leaders of the governments (Governor and Chairmen) to unscrupulously govern the people and victims by politics, lies, propaganda, fraud and deception rather than by transparently focusing governance squarely on the security of lives and properties as well as reduction of poverty.

While the good people of Edo State mourn the untimely and painful death of another bread winner and responsible citizen of Edo State owing to the inability of government to take timely and critical life-saving decisions, which has no other name than sheer incompetence, we pray that God will give the family of Mr Abuda the fortitude to bear his loss.

Finally, we leave the prevaricating leaders of Edo State Government to provide an answer to the underlying question of its anti-people policies: who is the next victim(s) of kidnapping in Edo State?

Sebastine EBHUOMHAN, Abuja.