Posted by By FEMI FOLARANMI, Yenagoa on
Suspected kidnappers of the Alei of Alebiri and father of Bayelsa State Deputy- Governor, Chief Simon Ebebi are demanding N10.4million ransom before the 75 year-old man would be set free.
•3 more suspects nabbed
Suspected kidnappers of the Alei of Alebiri and father of Bayelsa State Deputy- Governor, Chief Simon Ebebi are demanding N10.4million ransom before the 75 year-old man would be set free.
This revelation is coming on the heels of the arrest of three other suspects in connection with the case by men of the State Security Services (SSS). Two suspects had earlier been nabbed.
The Commander of the Joint Military Task Force in Bayelsa, Lt. Col Christopher Musa who disclosed this in Yenagoa declined to give identities of those arrested, adding that they were providing useful information in the investigation of the incident.
Musa who lamented the degeneration of the Niger Delta problem, explained that criminals hid under the guise of agitation to perpetrate evil.
According to him, the masterminds of the kidnap of Chief Ebebi were demanding for the money to cover feeding of the old man and hiring of boats for the operation, which he said was absurd because nobody sent them on the mission.
He said one of the suspects whose boat was one of those used for the operation claimed not to be part of the operation as he was kept in the dark on the mission his boat was being used for.
Musa who assured that security operatives were working round the clock to ensure the early release of the traditional ruler, added that the Army would continue to ensure that peace reigned in the state.
He maintained that the Army was not in a hurry to leave the state because the security situation, though had improved, needed to be sustained to the point where the police would be able to work without any hindrance.
On the recent peace agreement between Federal, Bayelsa State Governments and militants, Musa while applauding the peace pact, however, said there was need to implement terms of the agreement especially the surrender of arms before genuine peace could reign in the region.
His words: 'We hope that the repentant militant youths will keep to the peace agreement signed with the government. People are still keeping arms but we are made to understand that the process is in phases.
'Since the affected militant groups are still holding on to their arms, it will be suicidal to leave the state now. It is not ripe for the withdrawal of troops because there is a procedure."
'Disengagement of the military will be sequential after the militants have surrendered their arms and subjected themselves to training and re-integrated back into the society. Now that they have signed the peace accord, let us see them being disarmed. Then we can talk of withdrawal of the military."