SaharaReporters has learned that the mother of Wilberforce Agiri, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Deputy Governorship of Bayelsa State, Mrs. Ebifeghe Dikoro, has been kidnapped.
SaharaReporters has learned that the mother of Wilberforce Agiri, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Deputy Governorship of Bayelsa State, Mrs. Ebifeghe Dikoro, has been kidnapped.
Witnesses of the abduction informed SaharaReporters that Mrs. Dikoro, who is 100 years old, was abducted from her community of Foropa, a ward in the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area (LGA), at around 1 am Thursday morning.
According to these witnesses, the kidnappers stormed the community in two speed boats, shooting sporadically so as to scare them away.
While speaking to SaharaReporters Asinim Butswat, the spokesman for Bayelsa State Police Command, confirmed the abduction, although he maintained that details were sketchy.
An ex-Niger Delta militant, Eris Paul (AKA General Ogunboss), condemned the abduction of Mrs. Dikoro. He linked the kidnapping to other cases of intimidation, harassment, and violence against members of the APC by loyalists of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Mr. Paul cited investigations into attacks upon APC supporters in the Southern Ijaw and Brass LGAs of the State which revealed these attacks were sponsored by the PDP as evidence of his claims.
Specifically, he noted that a violent attack against APC faithfuls in the Sagbama community were allegedly planned by Richman Dickson, the younger brother of the Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson. Mr. Paul argued that Governor Dickson is responsible for the safety of all citizens of Bayelsa State regardless of their party affiliation, and should be held responsible for any APC members killed or attacked in the State.
The former militant also called upon both the Inspector General of Police and Bayelsa State Police to increase their intelligence gathering efforts in order to curb these attacks. He encouraged APC members to identify any individuals they believe are linked to attacks and report them to the police.