From Tony Osauzo, Benin
An American based Nigerian, Prince Eloniyo Dennis Abuda, has been found dead five days after he was abducted by suspected Fulani herdsmen.
Prince Abuda who was based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, was abducted last Saturday with two other men and a woman along the Benin-Auchi road.
He was said to be traveling from his hometown, Fugar in Etsako Central Local Government Area of Edo State to Lagos to catch a flight to the United States when they were seized by the herdsmen.
Abuda who was said to be the President of Fugar America Foundation, was reportedly shot by the kidnappers after he slumped during the forced long march to the bush.
His decomposing body was discovered yesterday after the payment of the ransom to free the other hostages who led the family members to the scene along the Benin-Auchi road end of the Benin bye pass.
“Prince Abuda was shot by the abductors when he couldn’t walk anymore and slumped. The kidnappers didn’t want to leave him behind as they were afraid that he will reveal their hide out to security agencies and so decided to shoot him”, a source said.
Spokesman of the Edo State Police Command, SP Chidi Nwabuzor in his reaction said “The command is fully aware and the Commissioner of Police personally led operatives to the scene this morning and they are still in the forest on active combing of the bush”.
In a related development, hundreds of Uromi women in Esan North-East Local Government Area of Edo State, yesterday, blocked the road protesting against kidnapping, raping of their girls and women and destruction of their crops in the farm by herdsmen.
The women blocked the entire stretch of the road from the palace of Onojie of Uromi, HRH Anselm Aidenojie and the Police Station, insisting that they be addressed by the Onojie and the Divisional Police Officer.
They were said to have dispersed after they found that two men were not in town but promised to converge another day.
“We are tired of kidnapping in our community by Fulani, they don’t only kidnap our people, they rape our girls and women, others take their cows to our farms to eat and destroy our crops. How can we be living in our community and we are afraid? It has never been like this in the history of this place”, one of the women, Mrs Rosemary Ordia said.
Reacting to the protest, the Ojuromi of Uromi, Anslem Aidenojie II, condemned the activities of the killer herdsmen.
“Yes, the activities of the criminal herdsmen are worrisome and quite disturbing. They kidnap our people, rape the women, maim and do a lot of havoc. They don’t allow people go to their farms anymore so their activities are terrible. But that does not mean that there are no good Fulani people because they have been living with us in peace in our kingdom.
“But this set of Fulanis that are engaged in criminal activities are strange and are not known to us . we condemn in entirety their activities but we are handicapped, we are trying to encourage the vigilantes, giving support to the Police and that is the best we can do. We cannot tell our people to take up arms.
“I have asked the women to remain calm that I will communicate their grievances to the appropriate quarters. I have spoken to the DPO and the Area Commander and will also reach out to the Governor to let him know the situation we have at hand.
“The killer herdsman have been here since they started appearing in other parts of Nigeria. There is no area of the country that is spared of the activities of these criminal elements. It is just that they are disturbing our people from carrying out their daily activities and doing their normal business. We are hopeful that God will help us to resolve the matter”, the traditional ruler said.