Gunmen abduct Senator’s 90-year-old mother

Yet-to-be-identified gunmen have abducted Florentina, the monther of Senator Emmanuel Paulker, in Bayelsa State.


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 beleive that in no distant time, the victim would be recued.”

He urged members of the public to go about their normal businesses, vowing that the police would continue to protect their lives and property.

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.”