The body of the 63-year-old president of Fugar America Foundation was found in a forest in Ahor village along the Benin Bypass in Edo state.

Chief Abuda who was based in Atlanta, United States of America came to his hometown in Fugar, Etsako Central local government area of Edo state for the Christmas and new year festivities.

He was on his way to Lagos on Saturday 30 January 2021 to catch his flight to the United States when his sienna car was attacked at the Ahor end of the Benin Bypass by some hardened kidnappers.

He was kidnapped alongside some relatives, Chief David Oghieakhe,Mrs Comfort and Mr Richard Bologi the sienna car driver and Mrs Comfort.

They were all forcefully taken into the forest.

It was learnt that the kidnappers became angry over Chief Abuda’s inability to continue the journey into the forest due to extreme exhaustion.

He was shot dead on the spot while others were led into the forest.

After killing him, the kidnappers opened a fifty million naira ransom negotiation with the family members.

But when the family insisted on talking to Chief Dennis Abuda, the suspected kidnappers forced other victims in their net to say he was in another camp in the Bush.

On Tuesday night, 2 February 2021, the other three victims were released except Chief Dennis Abuda as his whereabouts remained unknown.

The situation forced the Edo state commissioner of police, Philip Ogbadu to lead a search operation

The search party had the Ikpoba Hill Area commander in Benin city, ACP Adebowale Lawal, the Divisional Police Officer, Egba Division, CSP Ayoola Ojo and other men from the police tactical and crack teams of the Edo state police command.

During the search at the Ahor village forest near Benin city, the kidnappers’ hideouts were raided and some suspects arrested.

In the process, the body of the killed Chief Dennis Abuda was recovered.

Two of the victims Chief Oghieakhe and Mr Bologi described the attack “as hell on earth”.

Chief Oghieakhe said, “my brother could not walk fast, and the people killed him. I begged them not to kill him that we will carry him, but they refused and shot him dead “.

“As l was descending from Ahor hill, they just entered the road and started shooting. I was forced to stop. They then carried all of us into the Bush with the occupants of another car. They gave us terrible treatment” the sienna bus driver, Mr Bologi said

He said further “Chief Abuda is a great philanthropist as he has helped a lot of people in Fugar”.

Commenting, the Ikpoba Hill Area commander, Benin city, ACP Adebowale Lawal said the police would continue to keep vigil on the Benin Bypass as a way of keeping criminals out of the area.

As at press time, the remains of chief Dennis Abuda had been deposited in the mortuary for autopsy and other investigations.

STANDARD GAZETTE

 

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