Kidnapping: Police, JTF launch manhunt for ring leaders

Posted by admin Armed Forces, Bayelsa, Headlines, State News Thursday, October 6th, 2011

A combined special squad of the Nigeria Police Force and the Intelligence Unit of the Joint Military Task Force (JTF) has commenced investigations into the resurgence of a militant group involved in series of kidnapping and sea-piracy in Bayelsa State.

According to checks, the investigations were ordered following intelligence reports that a prominent member of the John Togo led Niger Delta Liberation Force (NDLF) had relocated to the Egbema/ Aganlabiri creeks of Ekeremor Local government area where he had recruited boys to carry out attacks on oil facilities, kidnap and rob people on the waterways.

The team of investigators were said to have expressed worry that 12 prohibited AK-47 were in circulation in the state. A source close to the team said evidence collected from the scene of the kidnap of the Ebeni Ibe of Atissa Kingdom and paramount ruler of Ogbogoro community, King Godwin Igodo pointed to the fact that the militant leader was involved in the kidnap.

King Igodo was released recently after 27 days in the custody of his abductors when a specified ransom was paid by the family.
The investigation is already yielding fruit with the arrest of two suspected kidnappers in Yenagoa, the state capital. The suspect, Bunas Samuel Micheal and Sakamalt Oyinpere from Yenagoa and Sagbama respectively were arrested with three AK47 rifles with 107 rounds of ammunition of 7.63mm in their possession.

Parading the suspects at the Police headquarters, the Commissioner of Police, Aliyu Musa the suspects arrested were members of a syndicate group involved in sea-piracy and kidnapping in the state. He disclosed that three suspects arrested namely Teimo Gbefga, Oweifa Peremor and Suwan Rapheal were undergoing questioning to know the veracity of their involvement in the case.

-Sunwp_posts