Bayelsa Commissioner, Akene Expresses Worries Over Abducted Mother, Says She‘ll not Be Sacrificed For Position

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News, News From The State Sunday, June 29th, 2014

Bayelsa State Commissioner for Lands and Survey, Mr. Furoebi Akene, has described as ‘unsettling’ the lingering search for his aged mother, Patimi, who was abducted, penultimate this week, by gunmen at Fonibiri in Southern Ijaw local government area of the state.

The Commissioner expressed the worry when a group of journalists, politicians and other professionals, under the aegis of The Parliament, called at his Yenegoa residence. He explained the abductors initially demanded his resignation, but later demanded for N30m ransom which they later reduced to N10m.

Vanguard revealed that the Commissioner regarded as worrisome the kidnappers’ threat to cut off his mother’s head due to his refusal to accede to the ransom demanded. He said the threat was through phone, yet, he would not be intimidated.

”One of the kidnappers, who claimed to be the leader of the gang, threatened to kill my mother. He said he will cut off her head and deliver it to my house at INEC Road and the body at the village. Because of the difficulty at getting me to agree with their demand, they have stopped calling me to discuss ransom,” Akene revealed.

He said perhaps due to his uncompromising stance, the kidnappers have started calling his younger sister for the ransom for the release of the septuagenarian mother.

Akene recalled that when the news of the abduction reached him, he cut short his journey to Malaysia where he was attending the World Surveyors Conference.

”When they demanded that I resigned from the present administration as the condition for my mother’s release, I told them that I am not a man out to sacrifice his mother for position,” he recalled.

He indicated “They allowed me to speak with her twice. The first time, she told me she was okay and I asked her if the kidnappers are Ijaws, she confirmed that they are. On the second occasion, they made my mother cry as a means to convince me of their seriousness. She was crying and begged me to secure her release and give them the money.

”They asked me to pay them the ransom. I told him I will not pay as I am not owing them. The last text I received was, ‘You have lost your mother’.

Madam Patimi Akene, was abducted without any gunshot and whisked away by armed men numbering about six from her home close to the Ofonibiri community waterside at about 12 am penultimate Saturday.

The Bayelsa State Police Command, through its image maker, Alex Akhigbe, DSP, assured that they were on the trail of the gunmen.