Hostage taking in the Niger Delta region took a new turn Monday night as the mother of Sir Celestine Omehia, Rivers State governor-elect, Mrs. Wahia Cecilia Omehia, was abducted by armed men believed to be militants. But there were unconfirmed reports last night that she has been released barely 24 hours later.
The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), also in the early hours of yesterday, launched an attack on a Chevron ship, off Bayelsa State and kidnapped six foreign oil workers.
A Nigerian sailor, whose identity was not immediately known was said to have been killed in the latest attack.
On the abduction of Omehia, Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Felix Ogbaudu told THISDAY yesterday that some arrests have been made and that the Police was closing in on at least one person connected with the incident who would be expected to make useful statements on the matter.
He promised to address newsmen today, by which time his men would have made final inroads into the leads that would nail those behind the abduction.
Wahia Omehia was spirited away from her home in Ubima, Ikwerre Local Government Area between 9pm and 10 pm Monday night by armed men.
But Ogbaudu said he has mobilised his men into all the leads where they hope to make reasonable progress before the end of yesterday since they were already on the trail of the abductors. He also could not confirm reports that she has been released.
Some people who spoke on condition of anonymity blamed politicians in the State for the action and queried what an old woman like the Governor-elect�s mother had to do with politics that she had to be kidnapped.
A source close to Omehia, who spoke off record, also re-echoed the blame on �desperate politicians eager to take power by all means� but refused to state categorically whom he was referring to.
Mr. Jerry Nyeedam, the Chief Press Officer to Omehia also confirmed the story, adding that the abductors came in a bus and took away the mother of the governor-elect with another 16 year old girl he did not mention her name and disappeared without firing any shot. Nyeedam however stated that the girl later escaped and narrated how the woman said to be above 60 years was kidnapped and blamed the problem on desperate politicians.
Meanwhile, barely 10 days after they stormed Bayelsa State capital, Yenagoa, in a three hour orgy of violence, militants yesterday invaded Pennington offshore oil terminal owned by American oil giant, Chevron Nigeria Limited and abducted six expatriate workers including four Italians, one American and one Croatian.
Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) claimed responsibility for the attack.
The group in a statement said, �In the course of the attack on this facility, the following individuals were captured off a vessel in that vicinity: Raffele Pascariello – Italian; Alfonso Frawza � Italian; John Stapleton � American; Juricha Ruic � Croatian; Ignazio Gugliota – Italian and; Mario Celetano � Italian.
Although it could not be confirmed, a Nigerian also working for Chevron was reported killed in the operation that lasted more than one hour.
The action came barely six hours after the Federal Government broadcast statement allegedly from MEND, affirming support for last week elections.
THISDAY gathered that the militants, who came in a convoy of six boats, invaded the Pennington facility which is several kilometers offshore in the Atlantic Ocean, overpowered the Naval and Army personnel on board, before making away with the six men.
The statement signed by Jomo Ghomo reads: �At 0600hrs on Tuesday, May 1, 2007, fighters of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, attacked the Chevron operated offshore loading terminal located on the Pennington River in Bayelsa state.
�This attack is intended to serve as a disclaimer to various government sponsored newspaper stories, indicating MENDS� approval of Jonathan and Yar�Adua. Jonathan�s selection as vice president of Nigeria is of no consequence to us unless it is accompanied by a fulfilment of all conditions we have previously given to the Nigerian government and oil companies for peace to return to the Niger Delta. Today’s attack on the Chevron operated facility, is also intended to serve as a warning to Shell concerning it’s return to fields we have previously attacked in Bayelsa and Delta states.
�In the course of the attack on this facility, the following individuals were captured off a vessel in that vicinity; 1. Raffele Pascariello-Italian 2. Alfonso Frawza- Italian 3. John Stapleton-American 4. Juricha Ruic-Croatian 5. Ignazio Gugliota-Italian 6. Mario Celetano-Italian
�We promised to give the present Nigerian administration a shameful send-off. This attack is one in a series intended to embarrass the out-going regime. It is also a warning to the incoming government which we view as an extension of the present. We will continue with our struggle for justice until we achieve all our goals without exception.
�The hostages will be released unconditionally on May 30, 2007. This will only be possible if the oil companies and Bayelsa state government make no attempts to secure the release of these hostages by offering ransom.
Any such offers will be viewed as a slight and will compound the situation of these hostages.
�We also disclaim all who have come forward recently as elders of the Niger Delta promising to disarm militant groups in the delta. They are all frauds who are not capable of keeping the peace in their homes. There will be no peace in the Niger Delta until we have justice�.
In a related incident, two militant groups operating in the Southern Ijaw local government area of Bayelsa on Monday engaged each other in a battle that left at least 10 people dead.
Although it could not be ascertained what led to hostilities between both groups as at press time, THISDAY gathered that the battle ground was the sleepy community of Ogbembiri where indigenes have been forced to flee as the battle grew more fierce.
Contacted, a source at the Joint Task Force (JTF) on the Niger Delta, Operation Restore Hope who pleaded anonymity confirmed both incidents.
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