Kidnappers Of Bayelsa Assembly Leader’s Mother Demand N80m Ransom

Kidnappers of the 59-year-old mother of the Leader of the state House of Assembly, Mrs.Esther Akpe, weekend contacted the family with the mobile phone of their victim from an unknown destination and demanded N80 million to release her.

A family source confirmed to LEADERSHIP at the weekend that the kidnappers assured the family of her safety and allowed them speak with her in the local dialect.

Mrs. Akpe was reportedly kidnapped last Tuesday by five armed gunmen.

Meanwhile, father and mother of the chairman of Ogbia Local Government Area, Mr. Richard Ebegu, were yesterday released by their abductors.

LEADERSHIP gathered that the duo of Mr. Festus, 65, and Mrs. Ebiye Ebegu, 53, were released on Saturday and were immediately relocated to Yenagoa, the state capital, by the council boss.

The victims were whisked away on January 21 from their residence in Oloibiri commumity, Ogbia LGA by unidentified gunmen who operated with a speedboat.

They were said to have been released at Okoroma creeks after spending six days in their captors’ den after their son had allegedly struck a deal that involved unknown amount of money with the bandits.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Fidelis Odunna, said the development had yet to be reported to his office.

But a security source told LEADERSHIP that the victims were received by the chairman’s younger brother and a councillor from the local government area.

He said the kidnappers had initially demanded N100million ransom but that the chairman allegedly offered to pay them N2m. He, however, said the chairman claimed that he eventually paid nothing to secure the freedom of his mother.