The kidnapped 63-year-old president of Fugar America Foundation, Chief Dennis Abuda has been found dead.
The body was found in a forest in Ahor village along the Benin Bypass in Edo state, Nigeria, Standard Gazette can confirm.
Chief Abuda who is 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.
The Remains of Prince Dennis Abuda found in the bush.
The Remains of Prince Dennis Abuda found in the bush.
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.
Standard Gazette learned that the gunmen also kidnapped chief David Oghieakhe, Mr Richard Bologi the sienna car driver and Mrs Comfort.
They were all forcefully taken into the forest.
Standard Gazette learned that the gunmen 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 remain unknown.
The situation forced the Edo state commissioner of police, CP Philip Ogbadu to lead a search party to the forest.
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 felled chief Dennis Abuda was recovered.
Two of the victims chief Oghieakhe and Mr Bologi described the attack “as hell on earth”.
Speaking with Standard Gazette, 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 “.
The Sienna driver Mr Bologi told Standard Gazette that “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”.
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 will continue to keep a vigil on the Benin Bypass as a way to keep criminals out of the area.
As at press time, the remains of chief Dennis Abuda have been deposited in the mortuary for autopsy and other investigations.