How we kidnapped Bayelsa High Court Judge — Suspects

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

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 Ozobo community in Delta State.

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

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

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

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

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 who 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 that 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, and it was not 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 testimony to the success of the security governance measures of Gov. Diri.

He said that the governor always insisted that security agencies should work together to ensure that Bayelsa was free of 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 that were their accomplices.

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

He said that the CCTV cameras mounted by the government in parts of the state were useful  throughout the rescue operation and their eventual arrest.

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