Posted by By Femi FolaranmI, Yenagoa on
A politician and loyalist of former governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha has been arrested by the Joint Task Force, Operation Restore Hope as the search for the foreign oil workers kidnapped by militant youths in the Niger-Delta continues.
A politician and loyalist of former governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha has been arrested by the Joint Task Force, Operation Restore Hope as the search for the foreign oil workers kidnapped by militant youths in the Niger-Delta continues.
This is just as indications emerged weekend that the four oil workers may have been moved by their abductors from Ekeremor Local Government Area where they were being held. Feelers suggest they might have been moved to the high seas.
Confirming the arrest of the politician who was a former member of the state House of Assembly, one of his aides who demanded anonymity, said his boss (names withheld) was arrested by 20 armed soldiers.
He was, however, reportedly released after much interrogation.
The searchlight on Alamieyesegha's loyalist, Sunday Sun gathered, is based on a security report that the ex-governor had before his impeachment, held a meeting with his close confidants on the next line of action.
During the meeting, the former legislator was said to have suggested the use of militants armed with sophisticated weapons from Warri, Delta State, to attack soldiers sent to Bayelsa.
Sunday Sun learnt further that his suggestion was however, rejected by others at the said meeting.
The man reportedly stormed out of the meeting and told the boys he recruited to go back, while he vanished into thin air till Alamieyeseigha was finally impeached.
Meanwhile, frustrated by its failure to contact the abductors and their hostages, the Presidency has directed that troops be deployed to the waterways of Ekeremor to cordon off the entire territory from both the Delta and Bayelsa States ends to commence a thorough search of the creeks.
A reliable source within the Bayelsa State government, however, confided in Sunday Sun that 'Government is using a top member of the hierarchy of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state to reach the kidnappers," adding 'Government is very careful not to do anything that would incense the kidnappers."
This arrangement, security sources said may run into hitches as some youths aggrieved with the administration of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan are set to frustrate the search.
Unlike under Alamieyeseigha, when youths would readily come to the aide of the government, Sunday Sun gathered that notable youths have so far refused to help government in locating the hostages.
Some of the youths who spoke to Sunday Sun on condition of anonymity said:
'The government is just giving money to people who are deceiving it that they know where the kidnappers are kept. They would just collect the money and go and rest in a hotel and come back to tell them they were not successful."
In another development, the chairman of Ekeremor Local Government Area, Hon Donald Daughiauma has said both the kidnappers and their hostages are no longer in Ekeremor.
He assured that the crisis would be over as top secret negotiations were on-going with the kidnappers, though he refused to give details.
According to him, investigations have revealed that the youths that carried out the operations are not from Bayelsa State.