Kidnappers demand N50m forBayelsa chiefs’ freedom

Yenagoa— The kidnappers of Chief
Blessing Wagio and Chief Isaac
Akono-Igolo have reportedly
demanded N50 million for their
release a week after their abduction.
The victims, both indigenes of
Okpoama in Brass Local Government
Area of Bayelsa State and a security
operative, whose identity could not
be ascertained, were kidnapped last
Wednesday along Ogbia-Brass
waterways by armed men suspected
to be pirates.
Though the whereabouts of the
kidnapped victims are unknown, the
kidnappers were said to have
contacted the family of one of the
chiefs, Monday, demanding N50
million ransom before they would be
set free.
Vanguard gathered that the victims’
boat, which sailed from Ogbia water
front in Ogbia council, was heading
to Brass on the Atlantic fringe when
it came under attack around Kiberibio
area in the waterway, described as a
hotbed of pirates attacks.
A source told Vanguard: “The
kidnappers are demanding a ransom
of N50 million. They called the wife
of Chief Wagio on Monday at about
10p.m. and made the two chiefs to
speak with her.”
Contacted, Police Public Relations
Officer, Asinim Butswat, said he was
in a meeting.