Tension has reportedly gripped parts of Edo State after armed men allegedly stormed the residence of Pa Joseph Iduoriyekemwen, 90, father of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) senatorial candidate for Edo South, and took him away to an undisclosed location.
According to Social media account circulating on the incident, the armed men arrived at the elderly man’s residence at about 4:00 a.m. and reportedly identified themselves as officers of the Nigeria Police Force.
The men allegedly claimed they were acting on the orders of the Edo State Governor and the Commissioner of Police in the State before taking the 90-year-old away.
His whereabouts remained unclear based on the information available at the time of filing this report.
The development has raised concerns over the safety and wellbeing of the elderly man, with calls mounting for the authorities to immediately disclose his location and explain the circumstances surrounding his removal from his residence.
Those raising the alarm also demanded that his fundamental rights be protected and that he be allowed access to his family and legal representation if he is being held by any law enforcement agency.
The identities of the men involved, their official status and the specific reason for taking Iduoriyekemwen away have not been independently established from the information available.
Authorities are therefore expected to urgently clarify whether the operation was carried out by personnel of the Nigeria Police Force and, if so, under whose authority and on what grounds.
