Suspected kidnappers abduct wife of former Bayelsa acting gov

SUSPECTED kidnappers in military uniform yesterday struck again in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State and abducted the 48-year-old wife of the former acting governor of the State, Hon. Nestor Binabo.

Mrs. Martha Binabo, according to the State Police Command, was abducted on Monday at about 11.30am at the premises of Seleyibo Multi-Global Company Limited, along Agbura community in Yenagoa Local Council of the State. Some close family members expressed fears that her abduction may not be unconnected with the decision of her husband to defect to the All Progressive Congress (APC) after his expulsion from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Security authorities, however, described her abduction as a purely criminal act by some criminal elements involved in kidnapping and violent crimes within the state.

An eyewitness account claimed that the kidnappers, who were dressed in full military uniform, asked the manager the of the company for the whereabouts of the madam, under the pretext that they were opening a business transaction with the Commander of the Joint Military Task Force, Major General Emmanuel Atewe.

“When the manager took them to meet his madam, he left. They then asked the madam to follow them to the JTF headquarters under the pretext of introducing her to the JTF Commander.”

“The unsuspecting woman asked them to wait and allow her get her bag. They allowed her get her bag and her perceived delay at entering the vehicle forced them to push her into it. It was then it dawned on her workers that they were kidnappers and not JTF men,” the source said.

The victim’s husband, Hon. Nestor Binabo, confirmed the kidnap of his wife but refused to make further comments. Authorities of the State Police Command, through its spokesman, Butwat Astimin, confirmed the abduction of Mrs Binabo, saying the kidnappers lured her outside the gate of her business premises for a business discussion and forced her into a waiting vehicle.

According to the Police, “the kidnappers forced her into an ash-coloured Toyota Camry and drove to Otuokpoti Sand Dump in Ogbia LGA.

They set the Toyota Camry car ablaze, took the victim into a waiting speedboat and sped off to an unknown destination. The Marine Police, JTF, Anti-kidnapping unit have been alerted.” A massive manhunt has been launched to rescue the victim and arrest the abductors, the police said.