YENAGOA – Some gunmen have abducted Chief Gbalipre Turner, father of the chairman of the Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, Ebinyon Turner.
It was gathered that the bandits took him away from his residence around the Samphino Road in the Kpansia Area of the state capital, Yenagoa, at about 11 pm on Sunday.
The spokesman for the State Police Command, Asinim Butswat, confirmed the incident in a statement on Monday.
Butswat said police detectives had chased the abductors of Turner to Onuebum waterfront, also in Ogbia Council Area, but they escaped with the victim via a speedboat.
He said, “Policemen responded swiftly and pursued the kidnappers to Onuebum waterfront, where they abandoned the vehicle used in the kidnap and whisked away with the victim through a speedboat.
Meanwhile, the state command of the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps have lost one officer each after a gang of gunmen attacked the operatives of the state security outfit, Operation Doo Akpo on Sunday night.
Butswat said the incident happened at the Okarki Junction in Yenagoa, where the operatives engaged the hoodlums in a gun duel.
He said, “On 5 September 2021, at about 2030hours, operatives of Operation Doo Akpor, at Okarki Junction, came under heavy fire by unknown gunmen, the gallant operatives engaged the hoodlums in a shoot-out and repelled them from attacking the nipping point.
“Unfortunately, a police sergeant and an operative of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps sustained fatal gunshots wounds, which led to their death.”
Butswat added that the Commissioner of Police, CP Eworo Echeng had ordered a manhunt to rescue the kidnapped victim and arrest the hoodlums.
He further appealed to members of the public to volunteer useful information that would assist the command in its investigation.
