Gunmen kidnap Bayelsa commissioner’s mum, demand resignation as ransom 

Yenagoa 
Rampaging kidnappers struck again in Bayelsa State over the weekend and kidnapped the 78-year-old mother of the Commissioner for Lands and Survey, Madam Patimi Akene from her home in Foinbiri, Southern Ijaw Local Government.
This latest kidnap is coming barely a fortnight when armed men seized the 90 year-old mother-in-law of the Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Madam Ogboro Orumo, whose whereabouts remain unknown after the kidnappers demanded N40 million ransom.
Curiously, the kidnappers of Madam Akene are not demanding money for ransom but want the son to quit the administration of Governor Henry Seriake Dickson as commissioner.
Checks indicated that the six gunmen, who stormed the community went straight to the residence of the Akene close to the waterside and whisked the victim away without firing a shot.
Community sources said when she saw the gunmen, Madam Akene, who was in company of her grand-daughter screamed, but the gunmen threatened to kill her and her grand-daughter if she refused to keep quiet.
The son, Furuebi Akene, who confirmed the incident said the gunmen must have placed his mother under surveillance to carry out the kidnap.
He also confirmed that the kidnappers had made contact with him demanding his resignation from the Dickson government as ransom, adding that people interested in his job were behind the abduction.
“My mother was in company of one of her grand-daughters when the armed men arrived at about 12 noon on Sunday and took towards southern direction of the ocean. Preliminary investigation from the movement of the gunmen showed that they knew her and had been studying her. They decided to take her quietly to avoid alarm.
“Someone that I suspected to be one of the kidnappers called me and said they didn’t need my money, but that I should “withdraw” from the present administration as commissioner. I think what they are demanding is for me to resign my appointment. I think the people interested in my job as commissioner in the state are the ones behind the abduction of my mother.”
The Bayelsa State Police command said they have deployed a crack team of detectives and Marine Police to comb the creeks and rescue the woman.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Alex Akhigbe, who confirmed the incident said the police would overcome the nature of the terrain and rescue the woman.
“The terrain is very difficult but we are working hard with a view to identifying the location of the victim and rescue her,” he said.