By Rita Enemuru, Reporting
Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have abducted Hon Federal Otokito at his residence in Otuokpoti, a riverine community in Ogbia Local Government Area Bayelsa State.
The victim is the Commissioner for Trade and Investment.
Stonix News gathered that the kidnappers stormed the residence of Hon. Otokito on 20th January, 2022 at about 11:00p.m and whisked him away in a waiting speedboat to an unknown destination.
Confirming the abduction, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO),
Bayelsa State Command, SP Asinim Butswat, said the Command has launched a manhunt for the rescue of the victim and the arrest of the suspects.
Meanwhile, Stonix News gathered that the abductors are suspected to be crude oil thieves.
He was allegedly abducted for kicking against the plan by some suspected crude oil thieves to set up a crude oil bunkering camp near his community, Otuokpoti, in Ogbia Local Government Area of the state.
A community source disclosed that the leader of the gang of crude oil thieves, after being chased out of his base in Rivers State, visited the community and held a meeting with some elders, women and youths where he sold the idea of establishing a crude oil bunkering camp in the forest bordering Agbura and Otuokpoti communities.
The source further revealed that at the meeting, all parties in attendance gave their approval for the camp to be set up and at the end collected bags of rice, goats and cash gifts the leader of the gang of crude oil thieves offered them.
On getting wind of the alleged meeting, the commissioner reportedly travelled to his community and made the point clear that as a serving Commissioner in the state, he would rather die than allow such a camp to be established in his community.
Sources further hinted that, the commissioner also went the extra mile to confront the said leader of the gang, threatening to expose them to security agents if they don’t abort their plan, and that in the process several persons verbally threatened to deal with him if he doesn’t back down.
Few days after the confrontation, sources said the commissioner’s home was rounded up about 11:00p.m on Thursday by some gunmen who managed to gain entrance into his house through his kitchen, dragged him to a waiting speedboat and zoomed off.
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