The Bayelsa State Vigilante Force yesterday arrested two alleged kidnappers, who held one Mrs. Judith Adoga on gunpoint and forced her to different ATM points within Yenagoa metropolis where they withdrew undisclosed sum of money from her account.
According to Mrs. Adoga, a staff of the Ministry for Budget and Economic Planning, she was going to drop her friend along Imgbi Road, Amarata, when the abductors numbering four came in the guise of being environmental officials and held her captive.
She said “After I closed from work, my friend pleaded that I drop her off at Imgbi Road. When we got to Imgbi roundabout and my friend came down from my car, four men rounded up my car, saying they are officials of environmental sanitation authority. They entered my car, pointed me gun and asked me to drive”.
“They forced me to give them my ATM card and took them to different ATM points where they withdrew all the money in my account. Afterwards, they then called my family members with my phone, demanding money that would serve as ransom for my release”.
“So, it was at that point one of my relations called the Chairman of the Bayelsa State Vigilante Force who mobilized his men and rescued me from my abductors.”
Confirming the incident, the Chairman of the Bayelsa Vigilante Force, Hon. Doubiye Alagba and his Secretary, Hon. Baba Innocent Kalango, said that when they got the distress call from a family member of the victim, the quickly mobilized their team and tracked the kidnappers to Tamic Road, Okutukutu, where two of the abductors were arrested while the other two escaped.
He gave the names of the two armed abductors as Engman Eniyi from Sangana Community in Brass LGA and Ebimobowei Tombofa from Igbenwari in Kolokuma/Opokuma LGA.
Speaking further, he said “This operation wouldn’t have been successful without information, I have always stated it clearly that without information from members of the public, fighting crime, criminality other security challenges will know no success”.
“We shouldn’t play politics with security, security agencies need information to fight crime. The Bayelsa state government today, led by His Excellency, Senator Douye Diri is poised to bring insecurity to its barest minimum if only our people will corporate with security agencies.
“Bayelsa remains one of the safest states for business and its people to stay, we will continue doing our best to assist in fighting crime and criminality as enshrined in our mandate.”
Meanwhile the suspects have been handed over to the Special Weapon Tactical team (SWAT) of the Nigeria Police Force, Bayelsa State Command for further investigation and prosecution.
