On Monday gunmen suspected to be sea pirates kidnapped 16 persons in Bayelsa State among them the Group Pastor of the Brass Branch of Christ Embassy, Lawrence Ohimare.
It was gathered that Ohamire and the 15 other victims were on board a commercial passenger boat which left Twon Brass, headquarters of Brass Local Government Area, and was heading towards Yenagoa, the state capital, when the bandits struck along the Nembe River.
The kidnappers were said to have waylaid the boat near the Obama Rice Farm in Nembe area and diverted it to Okoroma Creek and sped off to an unknown place.
A pastor of the Christ Embassy family, Eriye Tuaweri, confirmed the incidet and said that information available to them was sketchy.
He however said the boat had taken off at 7am Monday at Twon Brass Jetty and was navigating through Nembe when it was attacked by the gunmen.
According to him, the suspected kidnappers took the passengers hostage, including Pastor Ohimare, and diverted the boat to Okoroma Creek.
Tuaweri said the abductors had since cut-off communication with Ohimare, stressing that the incident had rendered his wife devastated.
He said the incident had been reported to the Divisional Police Officer, Nembe, the Commissioner of Police as well as the Joint Task Force Commander with the hope that the clergyman and other victims would be rescued.
“As I am speaking with you, we are yet to hear from the abductors or from the Pastor since then.
“You can see the wife of the Pastor over there. She is completely devastated and has to be attended to. She is in a state of mind that cannot be explained.
“Since we got the news (of the abduction), I have called the DPO, Nembe, the Bayelsa Commissioner of Police, the JTF Commander and all other relevant security agencies in the Bayelsa waterways to help secure the release of the Pastor and the other 15 passengers on board”, he said.
Credit: Daily Independent
He described Ohimare from Edo State as a complete gentleman who would not hurt a fly and appealed to the kidnappers to have a change of heart and free the man of God.
The Police Public Relations Officer of the Bayelsa Police Command, Asinim Bustwat, confirmed the kidnapping of the 16 boat passengers, saying the command was waiting for more detail.
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