Suspected Kidnappers of Bayelsa Judge Confess to Abduction

Suspected kidnappers of Bayelsa High Court Judge, Justice Ebiyerin Omukoro, on Thursday narrated how they committed the crime.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that eight suspects, including six males and two females, were paraded by the Commissioner of Police in Bayelsa, Francis Idu.

The Director of the Department of State Services, Adedapo Amao, was also present in Yenagoa.

The suspects are currently in the custody of the DSS, which coordinated the rescue of the victim and arrest of the abductors.

Gov Douye Diri of Bayelsa had, during the state executive council meeting on Wednesday, disclosed that all the suspects involved in the kidnap of the judge had been apprehended.

He, however, said that the gang leader was still at large.

One of the suspects, Justice Brodrick, who spoke to journalists during the parade, said he is an indigene of the Ozobo community in Delta State.

He confessed that he was part of the kidnapping operation after a man he referred to as his boss informed him about it.

The suspect stated that upon arrival in Yenagoa, they were given uniforms and vehicles for the operation and immediately swung into action.

He said that Justice Omukoro was taken from the premises of an eatery in the Ekeki area of Yenagoa and relocated to a location in a neighbouring state.

Brodrick, however, claimed that they had no particular target but stumbled on the Judge.

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He said that the victim was immediately moved to their camp, and when he told them that he was an Ijaw from Ekeremor Local Government, they decided to “treat him well.”

According to him, the man whom they call “General” insisted that the victim should be kept in handcuffs, but as a fellow Ijaw , be treated with care.

“So, he called me on June 21 that I should come to Yenagoa. He also called John Uzi, the person who is beside me. And I called Kelvin Olu, my younger brother, to come with me to Bayelsa.

“We mobilised the vehicle for the movement, and uniforms were provided. We moved from our camp, but it wasn’t a fixed target.

“We were just patrolling before we met the Judge at Kilimanjaro. So we approached him and kidnapped him from there to our camp,” he said.

Another suspect, who identified himself simply as John, said he was contacted but did not join in the operation as he was not feeling well and that he was in the camp when the victim was brought in.

The Commissioner of Police said that the arrest of the suspects was a testament to the success of the security governance measures implemented by Gov. Diri. He stated that the governor consistently emphasized the importance of security agencies collaborating to ensure that Bayelsa was free from crime and criminality.

Idu stated that the DSS sent a special team from Abuja for the operation, which led to the arrest of the suspects, including the two females who were their accomplices.

The police chief lauded the governor for providing the necessary logistics for the operation.

He stated that the CCTV cameras installed by the government in certain parts of the state were useful throughout the rescue operation and the eventual arrest.

Idu warned those with criminal intentions to reconsider, as Bayelsa was no longer a safe haven for criminals.