Gunmen Abduct 90-Year-old Mother of A Senator in Bayelsa State (South South), Nigeria

Yet-to-be-identified gunmen have abducted Florentina, the mother of Senator Emmanuel Paulker, in Bayelsa State (South-South) Nigeria.

The 90-year-old Florentina was abducted on Wednesday morning at her residence in Opolo-Epie, Yenagoa area of the state.
Neighbours of the nonagenarian were angry that the kidnappers forcibly took the woman away despite her
age. Their anger also came against the backdrop that Florentina was being kidnapped for the second time in four years.

It was learnt that the abductors called about 3am on Wednesday when the victim and other residents were
sleeping to execute their sinister plot.
A security source said the kidnappers were five in number and were fully armed with AK47 and other rifles.

The source, who did not want his name mentioned, said, “They came through the main road. They drove a vehicle into the community and immediately started shooting sporadically into the air to create apprehension among neighbours who were already asleep.
“They forced the door open, seized the old woman and whisked her away to an unknown place. Some residents
thought the kidnappers were armed robbers.
“Some of the residents later came out and started shouting ‘thieves, thieves’ only to discover later that the woman had been abducted.”

When contacted the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hilary Opara, confirmed the development and said one of the
suspected kidnappers had been arrested.
He said the suspect was helping the police in their investigations.
The commissioner said, “Although the report got to the police after the kidnappers had gone, we immediately
swung into action and arrested one suspect who is already assisting the police in investigation and we believe that in no distant time, the victim would be rescued.”

He urged members of the public to go about their normal businesses, vowing that the police would continue to protect their lives and property. Mr. Opara said the state special security outfit, Operation Doo Akpo, and other anti-crime outfits were on top of the situation.

He also lauded the state government for providing logistics to the command and commended members of the public for their cooperation.”

NigerianEye

Gunmen Invade Jeremiah Useni’s Home

Gunmen suspected to be hired assassins, in the early hours of Thursday, stormed the home of Jeremiah Useni, a former Abuja minister.
Mr. Useni was, however, not at his Langtang north Local Government Area, Plateau State home, when the gunmen came.

According to witnesses, the suspects shot at the building about 48 times.
Mr. Useni, a member of the on-going National Conference, in a telephone interview with journalists on Thursday evening, confirmed the incident.
The retired general said no lives were lost.
“I was not there myself, but I was told of the incident. No one was killed, but I will later today (Thursday) visit the scene to see things for myself,” he said.

The Police Public Relation Officer, PPRO, of the Plateau State command, Abuh Emmanuel, also confirmed the
incident to journalists in Jos.
According to Mr. Abuh, the alleged assassins were repelled by the police in the area.
“The suspects shot sporadically at the building, but no one was killed. Police have brought the situation under
control,” he said.

However, residents of the area said it was a group of vigilantes and youth who chased away the suspected assassins.
One of the witnesses, who identified himself as Nanpon, claimed to no longer be afraid of the sound of guns
shots, as it had become routine in the area.
He alleged that members of the Special Taskforce, STF, posted there often shot sporadically in the air for no just cause.
Mr. Nanpon also alleged that members of the STF harassed people in the area.
“Soldiers in our area sometimes enter our houses and beat up people even when no one has committed an offence. So when the attackers came, we thought it was soldiers doing their usual business of shooting in the air,” he said.

Premium Times