Barely a week after militants signed a peace pact with the Federal Govern-ment, gunmen in the early hours of yesterday invaded Aleibiri, a sleepy community in the Ekeremor Local Government area of Bayelsa State, and abducted the father of the state Deputy Governor, Pa Simeon Ebebi.
Ebebi, 80, who is also the traditional ruler of Aleibiri Kingdom, was taken from his palace around 3am.
The Deputy Governor, Mr. Perembowei Ebebi, had ordered relaxed security at his country home a few days ago following the peace agreement to halt the kidnap of residents and relations of top government officials in the Niger Delta.
THISDAY was told that the gunmen, no fewer than 25, must have had a good knowledge of the community, as they successfully abducted the old man.
As they were about to leave, someone from the other wing of the palace was said to have raised an alarm.
Due to the time the kidnap took place, youths in the community could not confront the gunmen, who shot sporadically into the air as they fled in their boats.
The action of the kidnappers has disrupted the peace pact the militants signed with the government at an elaborate ceremony last Thursday.
The deputy governor could not be reached as at the time of filing this report as he was said to be attending to state matters in Abuja with the governor.
The fate of the royal father was still unknown as at press time yesterday, even as a team of security operatives were being deployed at the state government jetty in Yenagoa, apparently heading for the embattled community.
The Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to Governor Timipre Sylva, Ebimo Amungo, confirmed the story.
Amungo said the governor stood by the agreement signed with the militants last week, adding that the government would treat the perpetrators as criminals.
Also confirming the story, the Chairman of Ekeremor Local Government, Hon. Robinson Etolor, said the council had swung into action with security operatives to ensure that the old man was released without harm.
The Press Secretary to the Deputy Governor, Charles Tambou, in a statement, said the traditional ruler was abducted by yet-to-be-unidentified gunmen.
The statement, which condemned the act, also described the perpetrators as criminals who were out to discredit the peace deal.
The state Chairman of the Niger Delta Peace and Conflict Resolution Committee, Chief James Jephtha, also confirmed the incident, but described the perpetrators as criminals and not militants.
According to him, the recent happening had nothing to do with the recently signed peace pact between the Federal Government and the militants in the state. �It is pure criminal act. We all know that we cannot rule out criminality in the whole act,� he said.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Ibokette Iniobong, could not be reached for comments.
The Federal Government in Yenagoa, Rivers State last Thursday, signed a peace treaty with the militants, who promised to renounce kidnapping of foreigners and indigenes of the Niger Delta.
Twelve groups represented the militants, while the Rivers State Governor, Hon Chibuike Amaechi, represented Vice President Goodluck Jonathan.
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