Lawmaker Regains Freedom After Gun Duel

Emmanuel Deeyah,the lawmaker representing Khana/Gokana, Federal Constituency local Government who was abducted by a gang of four on Saturday April 2, regained his freedom about 9pm yesterday after a gun battle between the anti-kidnap squad from the Rivers State Police Command and the kidnappers.

P.M.News learnt that the hoodlums had to abandon the traumatised lawmaker at the Konor waterside in Khana local Government at about 9pm and fled when they could not stand the fire power of the anti-kidnapping rescue squad.

It would be recalled that the various youth groups in Ogoni Community mobilised and piled up pressure against the abductors to release the federal lawmaker regarded as one of their prominent sons.

The lawmaker was abducted in Gwara,his village in Khana local Government area in Ogoniland on Saturday,April 2.

The Chairman of Kkana local Government had offered One Million Naira cash reward for anybody who can offer useful information on the whereabouts of the lawmaker and identity of his abductors.

The Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People,MOSOP, through its President ,Ledum Mittee, had condemned the abduction of the lawmaker and called on security agents to track down the abductors who also killed one of his aides in during the operation.

Chijioke Anyalechi, an Assistant Superintendent of Police,ASP, who is also the Assistant Police Public Relations Officer, ASPPRO of the Rivers Police Command confirmed to PMNEWS that “At about 2100hrs,following a gun duel between a team of Policemen drawn from the command and the hoodlums, the hoodlums were forced to retreat and abandoned the victim”.

The assistant PPRO did not confirm if the lawmaker sustained any injury, but said that “He is presently receiving medical treatment, while efforts are are intensified to arrest the fleeing hoodlums and recover their operational weapons.”

It would be recalled that the Rivers State Governor,Chibuike Amaechi who spoke through his Acting Chief Press Secretary, Blessing Wikina, had earlier warned the kidnappers to release the Lawmaker “ because in the state, kidnapping is old fashioned. Nobody pays ransom to any kidnapper because it against the Rivers State Anti-kidnapping law. As a government, we don’t pay ransom to anybody abductor.”

By Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt