Gunmen abduct Bayelsa ex-Perm Sec’s wife, injure Gov aide’s wife

Unknown gunmen, weekend, abducted the wife of a retired Permanent Secretary, Mrs Anne Ziworitin, in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital.

Also injured in a separate attack was the wife of the Special Assistant on Radio to the Governor, Mrs. Vivian Ikio Iziama.

Both incidents which caught  operatives of the state security outfit, Operation Doo Akpo, napping occurred Saturday night at Biogbolo, a suburb of Yenagoa.

While Mrs. Ziworitin was reportedly abducted along the Otiotio road area, Mrs. Iziama was injured with the butt of a rifle for refusing to part with the key of her Toyota Sienna car.

Mrs. Iziama‘s daughter, it was learnt, was inside the vehicle when the gunmen struck as she was about to drive into her compound. Her younger sister, who was about to open the gate, was forced to raise alarm on hearing the cry of her niece.

The hoodlums were said to have fled in a black Golf salon car with which they trailed their victim.

It was, however, learnt from a source close to the Ziworitin family that kidnappers of the retired permanent secretary’s spouse have demanded  N5million for her release.

Confirming the attack on his wife, the Special Assistant to the Bayelsa Governor on Radio, Mr. Ikio Benson Iziama, said a formal report had been made to the police.

Spokesman of the Bayelsa Police Command, Mr. Alex Akhigbe said though he was yet to receive full details of the incidents, the police’s effort at ensuring the security of lives and property in the state had led to the discovery of a cache of arms and ammunition at Koluama community in Southern Ijaw Local Government  Area of the state.

He said, “our Special Anti-Crime unit known as Operation Doo Akpo on Sunday, May 26, launched a search operation in Koluama Community in Southern Ijaw Area of the State and discovered 8 Pump Action guns, 5 AK47 rifles, 1,780 live ammunition and 19 empty cartridges buried in a room.”

The Police, he said, have commenced investigation into the discovery with a view to identifying the owners of the arms.



-- Vanguard