Christopher Uche, Yenagoa
The Chairman of Ogbia local government Area in Bayelsa state, Mr. Enaye Abeh has been kidnapped by two unidentified gunmen and taken to unknown destination.
Though the motive behind the kidnap remains unclear with the kidnappers yet to establish link with the family of the hostage, there are fears that the abduction has political undertones.
The abducted Council Boss played key roles in ‘election logistics’ for the Peoples Democratic Party in the State Assembly elections, when elections was declared inconclusive following violence in the area.
Election for the State House of Assembly Constituency seat remain outstanding as INEC was yet to fix a new date over insecurity in the area.
The Bayelsa state police command, Mr Asinim Butswat, who confirmed the incident said that the command had alerted Rivers and Delta Commands of the development.
The kidnappers who trailed their victim overtook his car and blocked him, shooting sporadically to scare away people around the area.
Residents who witnessed the abduction said that the fire power of the two gunmen overpowered the security escort attached to the chairman.
The Police Spokesman said that the Police got a distress call that the council chairman was in distress Wednesday morning and dispatched men to rescue him.
“We were meant to believe that the council chairman was under threat along Otuasega-Okaka Expressway, so our first reaction was towards Otuasega, but we got there to find out that the gunmen had escaped through Okaka waterside.
“They abducted him in his car and transferred him to a blue mazda car and when they got to Okaka waterside they burnt the mazda car and escaped with a waiting speedboat into the river,” Butswat said.
He further stated that the police is on the trail of the kidnappers.