Gunmen have reportedly abducted Chief Gbalipre Turner, father of the chairman of the Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, Mr Ebinyon Turner.
It was learnt that Chief Gbalipre Turner was taken away from his residence by the bandits around the Samphino Road in the Kpansia Area of the state capital, Yenagoa, at about 11pm on Sunday.
Bayelsa State Police Command spokesman, Asinim Butswat who confirmed the incident in a statement on Monday, noted that the police detectives had chased the abductors of Turner to Onuebum waterfront, also in Ogbia Council Area, but they escaped with the victim through a speedboat.
“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.
The Police command 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.
The incident happened at the Okarki Junction in Yenagoa, where the operatives engaged the hoodlums in a gun duel, Butswat 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.”
The Commissioner of Police, CP Eworo Echeng had ordered a manhunt to rescue the kidnapped victim and arrest the hoodlums while he appealed to members of the public to volunteer useful information that would assist the command in its investigation.
