Femi Folaranmi, yena goa
Gunmen have kidnapped the 84-year-old father of Sagbama Local Government Area Chairman in Bayelsa state, Mr. Napoleon Alale. Mr Nikade Anderson, the Press Secretary of the local government area, made this known in a statement on Friday in Yenagoa.
Anderson said that the octogenarian was abducted from his country home in Agbere community by the gunmen at about 12 midnight on Thursday. It was learnt that the gunmen invaded the community in the early hours of Friday, shooting sporadically to scare off residents, and in the process shot and injured a vigilante on duty. The injured vigilante now in critical condition, has been taken to a hospital.
The abductors were said to have escaped with Alale in a boat through the Nun River to an unknown destination. The gunmen are yet to make contact with the family members of the octogenarian as at press time.
Meanwhile the Bayelsa State Police Command said it has launched manhunt for those that kidnapped Pa Alale. The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Asinim Butswat in a statement said all tactical units of the Police Command had been activated to go after the kidnappers.The statement reads in part “The suspected kidnappers invaded the riverine community of Agbere, through the waterways and kidnapped the victim at his residence on 8 May, 2020 at about 0100 hours. A local vigilante, one Orusomo Aribotari, 40 years, who raised alarm and attempted to prevent the kidnappers, was shot on his right leg and left hand. The vigilante was rushed to the hospital and he is responding to treatment. All tactical units are working on a promising lead to rescue the victim and arrest the culprits.”