Seinye Briggs, wife of billionaire businessman, Lulu Briggs, was yesterday released by her kidnappers almost 24 hours after her abduction in Port Harcourt, Rivers State by unknown gunmen.
In addition to interests in telecommunications and banking, Lulu Briggs is the Executive Vice Chairman and a shareholder in Moni Pulo, an indigenous oil company.
The Briggs family, in a statement, said she was released without the payment of any ransom.
Vice President Goodluck Jonathan was one of the callers at the Briggs� residence in the Government Reservation Area yesterday. He arrived the residence just six hours after Seinye�s release. However, Jonathan refused all entreaties by newsmen to comment on the abduction.
Jonathan who flew into Port Harcourt through the Air Force Base was received by Governor Chibuike Amaechi who then accompanied him to the Briggs� residence where he met with the family, before departing to Bayelsa State.
Mrs. Briggs was on Wednesday kidnapped by members of the Movement of the Niger Delta People (MONDP) and some members of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) and the Martyrs Brigade.
Following her abduction, the highest decision making body of militants in the Niger Delta, the Joint Revolutionary Council expelled the three movements from the JRC, saying their action was not only shameful but absolutely misguided since attacking such a philanthropist as Chief Briggs stood against reason.
An official of the JRC who spoke to THISDAY in confidence said the boys reasoned that since they needed quick money �kidnapping Mrs. Briggs and demanding for money would be an easy way of making money since the family is rich.�
The Council therefore tendered an unreserved apology to the family of Chief Briggs who they acknowledged is a distinguished and respected Ijaw elder that has worked hard to assist the development of the Niger Delta, which they are fighting for.
Explaining how they worked with security operatives to effect the release of Mrs. Briggs, the president of the Ijaw Youth Council, Chris Ekiye said they held an emergency meeting where it was agreed that the kidnapping was wrong and resolved to fish out those behind it.
�Once we got information about the kidnap and agreed that this nonsense must stop, we sent word around and each group and militant camp that was in agreement with us, blocked all their (the abductors) escape routes, leaving a very small window for them to operate. They did not have the courage to pass through the opening, so they dropped her.
�No matter how long it will take to get them, we will do that so that this criminality can stop. It is not acceptable. It is not part of our understanding of what the Niger Delta struggle should be. We want to make them scapegoats so that probably this will be the last time they will pick Ijaw people or anybody at all,� Ekiye said.
However, the release of Mrs. Briggs was followed the same night with the kidnap of a retired Professor of Medicine at University of Port Harcourt, Christian Anyah, by unknown gunmen.
Armed youths numbering five were said to have broken into his house in the night and taken him to an unknown place.
The Head of Depar-tment of Languages in the University, Dr. Williams Wordi, confirmed the kidnapping and said the case had been reported to relevant authorities.
Feb92008