Niger Delta militants struck again yesterday and kidnapped the 91-year old father of the Accountant General of Bayelsa state, Chief Andason Zidafamo.
This is coming barely 24 hours after the Jont Military Task Force operating in Bayelsa State stormed the base of the militants rescuing in the process the Octogenerian father of the State Deputy Governor, Pa Simeon Ebebi, who lamented his maltreatment in the hands of his kidnappers.
The Accountant General’s father was in the evening of Wednesday abducted from his country home, Bolu-Orua, in Sagbama Local Government Area of the state.
As at the time of filing this report, the identity of the AG’s father’s kidnappers was yet to be ascertained.
Meanwhile, the freed deputy governor’s father was handed over to his son at the state Government Jetty in Yenagoa at about 2.30pm yesterday by men of the state Peace and Conflict Resolution Committee led by the Chairman, Chief James Jephtath.
Chief Ebebi was released around 1pm and arrived the jetty around 2.30pm from where he was driven to the office of the State Security Services (SSS) by his son, Hon Peremobowei Ebebi was later taken to the Government House.
The traditional ruler lamented that he was maltreated by his abductors who subjected him to traumatic and dehumanising experience throughout the 11 days he spent in captivity.
The deputy governor who briefed the press on the ordeal however disallowed newsmen to see the octogenarian who was kept in inside his official car behind tinted glass doors.
The deputy governor said that even though the health of his father was stable, there is still need for him to visit a physician for medical examination.
He, however, made it clear that no ransom was paid to the kidnappers. Ebebi, however, insinuated that the kidnap was the handiwork of some faceless politicians.
�What I wanted the kidnappers and the suspected politicians behind to know is that kidnapping is not as lucrative as they are thinking.�
�Many people had been kidnapped prior to my father�s incident and ransom was not paid. Some suspected politicians are encouraging the act to discredit the present administration, which is not the best for both the economic and social development of the state.�
The Deputy Governor debunked the claim that his father was camped in Delta state, saying that he was moved from one camp to the other between Ekeremor and Southern Ijaw local Government Area of the state.
Also briefing newsmen, Chief Jephtath of the Peace Committee said the rescue team sought the assistance of some of the militant groups who signed the peace pact with government recently to secure the release of the old man from Azuzaoma Community in Southern Ijaw local government area of the state.
Chief James Jephtah said there was a serious gun battle between the kidnappers and the security agents disclosing that it took the joint efforts of the Peace Committee, the militant youths and the State Security Service to secure the release of the aged traditional ruler.
According to him, � Africa , one of the leaders of the militant youths who have decided to work with the government gave us the clue to the where about of the aged father.�
Dec212007