The Chairman of Sagbama Local Government Area, Mr. Michael Mgbasia has cried out pleading with the abductors of his Father to show mercy and release him unconditionally.
He is also raising alarm over the rife of insecurity that has gripped the Sagbama Local Government Area which incidentally is Governor Henry Seriake Dickson’s home local government.
Mr. Wellington Mgbasia was abducted from his residence on April 7 by armed men and whisked to an unknown destination.
The kidnappers were said to have contacted the family and demanded over N200million before finally settling for N70 million at their last call.
A disturbed Mgbasia in an interview who confirmed that the kidnappers have contacted the family said there was no way the family could raise the ransom money and there is nobody they can run to for help.
According to him the kidnappers should have mercy on the family and release the old whose health might be in danger.
“They have contacted the family and asked us to pay 70million. Where would I get such amount of money even if I spend 10 years as Local government chairman? Where can I get such money in a system like this where everything is dry? I am pleading with the kidnappers to release my father. We are all Ijaw people, I plead with them to release my father unconditionally to me. He is 70-years-old and having leg pains. “
Mgbasia who expressed sadness that it was Ijaw people that were behind the kidnap lamented that insecurity has taken over the local government with rampant cases of kidnapping and other security concerns.
He said security operatives have been overwhelmed with the sophisticated weapons kidnappers and other criminal elements have in their possession.
“It is difficult for me to bear that my father was kidnapped by my own people. If the abductors are from outside, it would be difficult for them to take him out of the community. It is disheartening and it is not a good thing to experience f your father or mother to be kidnapped. Even my SA on treasury matters his mother-in-law was kidnapped. Kidnap is becoming rampant and it is not good. We thought we have gone past it but it is starting all over all again. Bayelsans and Ijaw leaders should come out to fight against kidnapping so that we may have peace. These kidnappers are fully armed than the security men. 20 security operatives cannot face two of them because they are covered with bullets. We would know what to do to put the security in proper shape.”
