Kidnappers of the son of the First Republic Minister of Information and foremost Ijaw Leader, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, on Monday said they abducted the elder statesman’s son, Ebikeme, because his father refused to create jobs for the youths in the creeks.
The six suspects – Joshua Ogofa, David Emevor, Bosin Kevwe, Sylvester Dio, Prince Meslore and Pius Arhavwaren – took away Ebikeme last week while inspecting his father’s proposed site for the University of Technology.
Ogofa, a native of Kalafighbene in Bomadi council area of the state, who was the driver of an ex-militant warlord and provided the AK47 rifle used for the kidnap, said the elder statesman let them down after they laid down their arms.
He said: “We kidnapped Chief Clark’s son because his father refused to give us job opportunities despite our loyalty to him.
“He has been helping others and training people from our area, but job creation, zero.”
The state Commissioner of Police, Ikechukwu Aduba, has declared four other members of the gang, now at large, wanted.
Aduba also did same with five suspected killers of two lawyers in the state.
He said: “The entire conspiracy was crippled with the arrest of the said mastermind and some of his key accomplices, in a covert operation carried out by personnel of the Area Commander’s Office, Warri, synergizing with personnel of Delta Waterways Security Committee, whereupon the gang were pressurized into giving up their victim who was released unhurt and without payment of ransom.”
While those declared wanted in connection with Ebikeme saga are Timi, Abel Ndamwa and one Jacob Aloba, those involved in the lawyer’s gruesome murder include Chuks, Obeji, Kelvin, Shakara and Kaya Morgan.
The gang, the CP disclosed, “kidnapped and killed the former Deputy Governor of Anambra State and two others in Agbor in 2013 after collecting ransom.”
According to him, the gang also attacked a federal legislator, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, and killed his escort detail along the Ughelli Road in 2012.
The gang members were also involved in the kidnapping of a High Court judge in Edo State in 2013.
Aduba said they were also involved in the ambush attack on prison officers leading to the death of prison personnel and the release of three awaiting trial detainees and also the kidnap of the son of the Secretary to the State Government in the state.