Gunmen Kidnap Six-year-old Son of Ex-Commissioner in Bayelsa

A six-year-old son of a former Commissioner in Bayelsa state, Chief Godknows Powell, was on Wednesday kidnapped by gunmen.

The boy was kidnapped on Etegwe road, Yenagoa, in the early hours of the new year, while returning from church service.

According to NAN, the victim was in the company of his mother when the gunmen accosted them at about 12.45 pm and whisked him away.

A relation of the family confirmed the incident and said the abduction of the boy had thrown the family into despair.

“We are supposed to be celebrating the New Year, but we are now in a pathetic mood. We pray that the boy is safe,” the source said.

The kidnappers are yet to establish contact with the family.

NYSC member kidnapped in Lagos, ₦10 million ransom demanded [PICS]

The Lagos State Police Command has commenced investigation into the kidnap of a 29-year-old National Youth Service Corps member, Ayobami Jaiyeola.

Relatives of the victim told newsmen that she was last seen while leaving her elder sister’s house at Dideolu Estate in the Oniru area of the state in the evening of Friday last week.

When our correspondent visited the victim’s home on Wednesday, family and friends thronged the place to commiserate with her mother.

A relative of the victim, who craved anonymity, said Ayobami left her two phones and handbag behind in the house at the time of her kidnap.

He said the matter was initially reported as a case of missing person.

Kelvin Oniarah’s Successor Killed in Gun Battle

Successor of arrested kidnap kingpin, Mr Kelvin Oniarah, may have been killed in a gun duel with security operatives.

The successor was simply identified as Mr Rufus.

According to reports, Mr Rufus and another member of the gang were in a sport car when they were tracked by the security operatives.

A gun duel was said to have ensued in the process, but the superior fire power of the security operatives brought the criminals to their knees.

Nigerian Tribune gathered that Rufus was killed on Saturday during the gun duel with soldiers from the Nigerian Army and men of the State Security Service (SSS) at Kokori, the country home of Kelvin.

Kokori, in Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State, has been under a state curfew, with soldiers combing the forest to flush out criminals and remnants of Kelvin’s boys.

The lifeless body of Rufus was taken to Ekpan Police Station for further action.

30 Gunmen Storm Palace At Mid-Night in Akwa Ibom, Kidnap Monarch

The Paramount Ruler of Esit Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Chief Ubong Assam, was yesterday, abducted by no fewer than 30 gunmen, who stormed his palace at 2a.m.

The kidnappers took the royal father to Unyeghe village, Mbo Local Government Area in a car, transferred him to a waiting speedboat and left for the high seas.

The kidnap, it was learnt, might be in connection with ₦2.6 billion compensation paid by ExxonMobil to the four host local government communities, which the youths had rejected.

Although the security personnel attached to the royal father attempted to rescue him, the kidnappers’ superior fire power won the day.

The Paramount Ruler, who was sleeping when the gunmen struck, was according to a source, not maltreated by the abductors.

SSS foils kidnap of late President Yar’Adua’s daughter

The department of state security has announced that it thwarted an attempt to kidnap one of the daughters of late President Umar Musa Yar’adua at a construction site in the Kado area of Abuja.

Addressing a news conference in Abuja on Thursday, Deputy Director, Public Relations of the Service, Marilyn Ogar says the duo of Hamza Abubakar and Lawrence Dennis planned the botched kidnap attempt.

Ms. Ogar said the two suspects colluded with five others who are still at large to plan the abduction.

The five other suspects are Abu Katsina, Daddy Mohammed, Isa Keteri, Masa’udu Kateri and another person simply identified as Ik.

Police didn’t rescue me from kidnappers, says Bishop Kattey

Four days after he regained freedom from captivity, Archbishop Ignatius Kattey, Dean of the Anglican Communion in Nigeria, said the claim by the Rivers State Police Command that it rescued him from the abductors was “a blatant lie.”

He said the kidnappers voluntarily released him on their own accord which he attributed to divine intervention because, according to him, he knew people all over the world were praying for his unconditional release.

The 65-year-old cleric also said he was not aware of any ransom paid on his behalf.

Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Angela Agabe, shortly after the release of the Archbishop on Saturday evening had claimed that it was the police that rescued him.

Lawyer and activist Mike Ozekhome regains freedom

Kidnapped legal practitioner and human rights activist, Mike Ozekhome has finally been released by his abductors.

A family friend to the Ozekhomes and former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode told Premiumtimes he had a telephone conversation with the lawyer this morning (Thursdy).

“I just spoke to him and he was very excited to be free,” the former minister said. “He was full of thanks to God and was in very high spirits.”

Mr. Ozekhome’s elder brother, Pius, also confirmed the lawyer’s release to the News Agency of Nigeria.

Gunmen Kidnap Anglican Archbishop in Rivers

Most Rev Ignatius Ogboru Kattey, the Dean, ArchBishop and Bishop of Niger Delta North Anglican Communion of Nigeria, was last night kidnapped by yet to be identified gunmen in Port Harcourt, capital of Rivers State.

The abduction happened at about 11.30pm Friday night.

The clergyman, along with his wife, Beatrice was captured on Aleto bridge, Eleme in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State, but the wife was later found abandoned in their car.

The whereabouts of the archbishop remains unknown.

Kidnappers Abduct Hyundai Staff, Demand ₦25m Ransom

A yet-to-be identified kidnap gang on Tuesday abducted a member of staff of Hyundai Motors Nigeria Limited, Mrs. Chinyere Nwajei, in the Festac Town area of Lagos State, on her way back from work.

According to reports, the unknown gang had since made contact with the victim’s family, demanding the sum of 150,000 dollars (₦24,750,000).

The victim, who works at the company’s Ajose Adeogun, Victoria Island branch, was said to have been kidnapped at night at the Festac link bridge.

It was also gathered that the victim who was alone in her car, was not only abducted but that the gang also made away with her car, a 2012 Hyundai Accent, which is yet to be found.

Justice Rhodes-Vivour’s Wife, Daughter Regain Freedom

After 17 days in captivity, the wife and daughter of Justice Bode Rhodes-Vivour of the Supreme Court were released at 11 am in Benin City, the capital of Edo State.

Mother and daughter had travelled to Benin to prepare for the latter’s wedding but were kidnapped by unknown assailants.

It is uncertain if ransom was paid for their release.

More details to follow…

JTF rescues ex-Chevron staff from kidnappers’ den

A retired staff of oil giant, Chevron, Mr Austine Eyen, who was abducted by kidnappers in Sapele, Delta State, was on Tuesday, rescued by men of the Nigeria Army, Koko Barracks, Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State, in conjunction with the Joint Task Force, Operation Pulo Shield, Sector 1.

Three suspects were arrested in Sapele, while on May 13, soldiers attached to Adeje community in Okpe Local Government Area of the state also arrested six other suspects in connection with the kidnap.

The suspects were paraded in Sapele before journalists at the Koko barracks.

The Commanding Officer of Nigeria Army, Koko Barracks, who led the operations, Lieutenant Colonel Frank Etim, said prior to the arrest, the suspects were tracked in a forest in Oviri-Court, where the hoodlums exchanged fire with the troops leading to their arrest and the recovery of a weapon, and that the arrested persons thereafter provided the lead for the arrest of others.

The three suspects arrested in Sapele, Pius Festus, Great Obiebi and Macus Gold, who confessed to committing the crime, however, blamed the devil.

They also confessed of having two bosses, whose names they simply gave as Bright and Peace.

Abductors of Rhodes-Vivour Family Demand ₦300m

Kidnappers who last Friday abducted the wife, daughter and driver of a Supreme Court Justice, Bode Rhodes-Vivour, have established contact with the family.

The Guardian learnt that the abductors have demanded a ransom of ₦300 million from the family of Rhodes-Vivour before they could release their victims.

The victims were said to be travelling to Edo State ahead of the justice’s daughter’s wedding when they were accosted by unknown gunmen along Benin-Sagamu Expressway and taken to an unknown location.

Meanwhile, operatives of the Nigeria Police led by the Commissioner of Police, Folusho Adebanjo and members of the vigilance groups in villages around Ovia North-East Local Council have relocated to the Ekiadolor/Ugbogui forest, the possible zone where suspected kidnappers may be keeping Mrs Rhodes-Vivour and her daughter.

Justice Rhodes-Vivour’s Wife, Daughter Kidnapped

Kiyo: Unknown gunmen Saturday kidnapped the wife and daughter of a Supreme Court Justice Bode Rhodes-Vivour. Also abducted is the driver of the vehicle conveying them. Sources said the trio were intercepted as they were about to enter Benin, Edo State capital.

Justice Rhodes-Vivour’s daughter is slated to get married in the next one week and arrangements for the wedding are said to be in top gear.

THISDAY learnt the kidnappers were yet to contact any member of the family by last night. Justice Rhodes-Vivour was formerly a judge in Lagos State before he rose to the Court of Appeal and later Supreme Court.

Briton kidnapped in Lagos freed

Filo: A British businessman kidnapped last week in Lagos has been released, Britain's Foreign Office website reports today. The statement on the website reads "A British national was kidnapped on Victoria Island, Lagos on 23 March (and was) subsequently released on 27 March"

Kiyo: I also heard the Nigerian police confirmed that the man was trailed on his way back from a nightclub in Victoria Island at around 11 p.m.

Filo: This is bad news for night life

Kiyo: Don’t worry your small head, they are not after people like you; the dude works for an oil company.