Kidnappers Abduct Four Expatriates, Nigerian In Bayelsa

Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar

Eight gunmen on Monday raided a Chinese firm at Okpoama, Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, abducting three Koreans and a Nigerian, identified as Austin Giwa.

The expatriates are J.S. Chae, J.H. Kim and P.W. Lee.

The gunmen blindfolded their victims before taking them away.


Our correspondent gathered that the gunmen struck about 3.30pm and held workers at the company located close to Diema at the brinks of the Atlantic Ocean hostage.

The assailants said to have used speedboats for the raid, gained access to the firm’s premises unchallenged.

A security  source who pleaded anonymity, said the expatriates must have been kidnapped for ransom.

He said, “The company does not have security operatives and it is located in a lonely place at the Brass Island. That was why the gunmen operated easily.”

The  Chinese firm  fabricates materials to be used by the Brass Liquidfied  Natural Gas Company billed to commence operations in no distant time.

Our correspondent gathered that the host communities in the area had been at loggerheads with the firm over issues bordering on employment of indigenes.

The incident came about five days after gunmen killed a soldier and kidnapped three Lebanese working for Setraco along the Ughelli axis of East-West Road.

The kidnappers later demanded N900m as ransom to release the victims.

Also, gunmen kidnapped another expatriate at Burutu Local Government Area, Delta State.

“This is what happens whenever there is a Yuletide. Youths who are jobless resort to their guns to raise money for the celebration,” the security source said.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr. Fidelis Odunna, who confirmed the development to our correspondent, said a crack team of detectives  had been deployed in the state to locate the kidnappers.

He said, “Police have dispatched a crack detectives and operatives for discreet investigation and strategic security measures are being put in place to forestall further kidnap of expatriates.

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