By Adibe Emenyonu
Nineteen days after he was abducted from his farm, the decomposing body of former Edo State Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Mr. Egbe Ediagbonya, has been recovered from a forest near his farm in Utese.
Ediagbonya, who was also former Chairman of Ovia North East Local Government Area, was kidnapped in the early hours of May 16 in his Utese farm.
His abductors initially asked for N15 million ransom and directed the family to drop N2 million in Patani, a border town between Delta State and Bayelsa State even though he was abducted in the border area between Edo State and Ondo State.
Shortly after the family dropped the ransom, the abductors were said to have sent an SMS to the family that their father’s body was in a cassava farm near Utese where he was kidnapped.
The Police Public Relations Officer in Edo State, DSP. Chidi Nwabuzor, who confirmed the development, said the body was found “by some farmers in a forest sharing boundary with Ondo State at Utese village.
“The farmers who were uneasy and apprehensive about the horrible sight rushed to the village to break the news. Thereafter moved to the Divisional Police Headquarters, Okada, and reported the development to the Divisional Police Officer of the station.
“At the scene, the remains of Edioagbonya was identified by his family and immediately his remains was professionally evacuated and taken to Igbinedion University Hospital Mortuary, Okada, for autopsy examination.
“The command deeply commensurate with the immediate family of late Ediagbonya and pray that the Almighty God will give them the fortitude to bear the loss. The command has vowed to fish out the killers of the illustrious son of Utese village,” Nwabuzor said.
