The joint security services in Bonny Local Government Area say they are determined to rescue the businessman kidnapped in Bonny on Sunday night and continue to ensure there is security in the area.

Commanding Officer of the Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base (FOB), Bonny, Commodore Kola Oguntuga told Kristina Reports that though the various security services in the area responded to the incident on that fateful night but somehow the hoodlums were able to escape.

The joint security services, of which Commodore Oguntuga is the head, comprises the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Security Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, the Department of State Services (DSS), among others.   

Daredevil hoodlums wearing face masks invaded the home of popular businessman, Minafuro Jumbo in Abalamabie Community in Bonny and abducted him along with his friend, Lawrence Green, and took them to an undisclosed location.

A policeman was shot dead while another sustained gunshot wounds and was receiving treatment in an undisclosed hospital.  

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

The Navy chief explained that the gunboats belonging to the JTF were deployed to block the Coal Beach axis of the River but the kidnappers used the creeks to get out of the area.

“Yes, the Army were on patrol around the creeks when the incident happened and they had to deploy to the place but by then the criminals have used a different route to escape.”

“The responded on land and on the sea alongside our men (Navy). You know they their own gunboat, yeah, it came to the scene of the incident but the boys have escaped through another route”.

He asserted that the various security agencies were working in synergy to ensure the area was safe, disclosing that just days ago, the Nigerian Army personnel were engaged by hoodlums at sea and one soldier was shot in the leg and was presently recuperating.

Kidnappers call demanding N15m ransom

Sources close to the family of the kidnap victim say the kidnappers called demanding a ransom of N15 million before he would be released. Efforts by Kristina Reports to confirm this proved abortive as his wife was indisposed to talk to the Press.

Also, police sources corroborated with the Navy chief that the security agencies were on the trail of the kidnappers and would soon apprehend them and rescue their victim.

Kidnappers’ driver apprehended

In another development, the driver (name withheld) of the Toyota Hilux van that was used by the kidnappers have been arrested and was assisting the security agencies in the course of their investigation into the kidnap incident.

Concerned residents of Bonny have also expressed worry over the ease with which criminals get into the town and carry out their operations. One of them, who preferred anonymity, recounted that this was making the third time such a security breach would happen.

She said the first time was the kidnap and later murdering of the mother of a former chairman of Bonny LGA, Edward Pepple in the Akiama Community, then the killing of the father of former DSS top shot, Larry Pepple in Ererekiri, and then this one.

She urged the security agencies to up their game by nipping these security threats in the bud and assuring a safe environment for residents of the area.