Brass—The Concerned Formosans for Change has lamented the abduction of eight passengers travelling from Egwe-Ama in Brass Local Government Area to Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.
The group in a statement signed by its coordinator, Yibo Ebenezer Oti condemned the incident which occurred in the early hours of Monday.
Oti in the statement described the incident as a dastardly act, adding that the resumption of militancy, abduction and other criminal activities on the Brass waterways portends danger to the people of the area which will, in turn, impede development.
They appealed to the perpetrators to release the travellers in their custody forthwith.
The group also urged the Bayelsa State government to task relevant security agencies in the state to ensure the immediate release of the abducted travellers unhurt.
“We call on the Bayelsa State government to liaise with the appropriate security agencies in the state to secure the release of the abductees forthwith and ensure afterward that our waterways are safe for ordinary Bayelsans to ply and go about their businesses,” the statement reads in part.
Mangrovepen.ng gathered that a total of eight out of fifteen persons aboard a speed boat heading to Yenagoa from Egwe-ama in Cape Formosa island, Brass LGA were abducted near Burma rice farm yesterday Monday 14th June by suspected sea pirates.
According to a report by Royal FM, a rescue team of marine police rescued the seven other passengers including the driver who were left on the creeks near the site of the incident.
In a chat with Mangrovepen.ng, president of the Brass Federated Youth Council, Comrade Ayebatonbara Telimoye Stephen-Gow has also condemned the act, saying it is unacceptable.
He bemoaned that “the intimidation and fear put in by these sea pirates on the people of our region have become a daily routine and it has stopped our people from going about our normal day-to-day activities,” calling on the state government to swing into action to rescue the abductees.
Meanwhile, the Bayelsa State Police Public Relations Officer, Asinim Butswat confirmed the sad incident via phone call with a mangrovepen.ng reporter.
However, he assured that the police have already swung into action to release the eight abductees and bring the culprits to justice.
