Gunmen abduct Bayelsa commissioner’s father

Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers yesterday abducted the 84-year-old father of Bayelsa State Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr Doodei Week, from his country home at Ayama-Ijaw in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state. According to witness account, the octogenarian, King Agbabou Week, who is the Ebenanaowei of Tarakiri Clan in Southern Ijaw, was kidnapped […]

Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers yesterday abducted the 84-year-old father of Bayelsa State Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr Doodei Week, from his country home at Ayama-Ijaw in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state.

According to witness account, the octogenarian, King Agbabou Week, who is the Ebenanaowei of Tarakiri Clan in Southern Ijaw, was kidnapped around 11:20pm Wednesday night by seven AK47 wielding masked men.

It was further learnt that the kidnappers searched the house of the monarch, collected a television set, jewelleries and other valuables before dragging him on the ground to the waterside and fled the community.

The paramount ruler of Ayama-Ijaw Community, Chief Amen Sariki, confirmed the incident, saying the gunmen stayed in the community for about one hour searching for his house.

He said: “About 11:20pm on Wednesday, the wife and children of our clan head ran to my house crying. It was clear that they had been beaten up. They told me that the king had been kidnapped.

“I learnt that the gunmen held them hostage, while they searched the house. After searching, they carried a television set, collected jewelleries and other valuable items. They then dragged the king who was wearing only pants on the ground up to the waterside.

“At that point, I started receiving report that the gunmen were still in the community. So, I tried to reach the Joint Military Task Force and the Nigeria Police but didn’t get any response. After about an hour I was told the gunmen had left the community.

“When we got to the waterside, I learnt that the kidnappers had held a 20-year old girl they saw on their way, at gun point and asked her to tell them where my house is. According to her, she lied that she is not from the community and didn’t know my house.

“To pressure her to talk, they stripped her naked and sexually harassed her for several minutes, but she refused to tell them where my house was. When they got tired, they untied a speedboat belonging to the commissioner and fled the community.”

The mother of the commissioner and his sister were kidnapped some years ago.

The police spokesperson in the state, SP Asinim Butswat, confirmed the incident, saying he was still trying to get details of the incident