Abductors demand N70m to release LG Chairman’s father

The Chairman of Sagbama Local Government Area, In Bayelsa State Mr. Michael Mgbasia has pleaded with the abductors of his father, Wellington, to show mercy and release him completely.

It was gathered that Wellington Mgbasia was kidnapped from his residence three weeks ago by armed men who took him to an unknown destination.

It was also learnt that the kidnappers contacted the family and demanded over N200million before finally settling for N70 million to release him.

Michael Mgbasia, in an interview with reporters on Wednesday, said there was no way the family could raise the ransom money and there was nobody they can reach out to for help.

He pleaded with the kidnappers to have mercy on the family and release the aged father whose health, he said might be failing.

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“They have contacted the family and asked us to pay N70million. 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”, he pleaded.

Mgbasia, who expressed grief disclosed that it was his kinsmen in Ijaw land that were responsible for the kidnap, added that insecurity has taken over Sagbama local government with rampant cases of kidnapping and other security concerns.

“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 the kidnap of one’s father or mother. 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”.

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