4th January, 2016
Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
After nine days in captivity, a Mrs Palsy Elekima, a member of Caretaker Committee of Degema Local Council and her son who were kidnapped by unidentified gunmen in Bukuma, while attending the Miss Bukuma Beauty Pageant on Sunday, 27 December, were freed Monday.
Godspower Ipalibo Madudoye,the Coordinator of National Youth Council, Degema Chapter, confirmed their release and that they were receiving medical attention in an undisclosed private hospital.
The youth leader who did not disclose whether ransom was paid, however, thanked Degema Youths who he said came out mobilise against the kidnap by joining in the search for the kidnap victims and denouncing the incident.
Madudoye said “we thank the Rivers State Government, the security agencies and youths of Degema local government who stood with the National Youth Council of Nigeria, NYCN, throughout the period when the Caretaker Committee member Mrs Palsy Elekima, the Supervisor for Women Affairs in the Council and her two-year-old son were abducted. I hereby advise Rivers youths of the state abstain from crime.”
Madudoye had appealed to state government and security agencies to provide security in the coastal areas because of the growing incidents of sea piracy, kidnapping and brigandage in the areas.
He lamented the attack on passenger boat by Sea pirates a few days ago in Bakana also in Degema Local Government area.
Investigations by our Correspondent later revealed that before the invasion of Bukuma on the day of the Beauty Pageant that led to the sporadic shooting and eventual kidnap of Mrs Elekima, there was an earlier attack of nearby Tombia community by people suspected to be armed youths from Buguma.
The source said what happened on Sunday, December 27 was a reprisal attack by suspected hoodlums from Tombia community.