Three Dutch Nationals and two Nigerians were on Sunday May 4 abducted by a group of militants at Letugbene, a boundary community between Delta and Bayelsa States, Our Senior Correspondent reports.
Sources said the victims were on a fact finding mission to communities within the Dodo River to a local hospital which is said to be thriving despite absence of government patronage and see how they could attract material support to meet the health care needs of the people when the incident occurred at about 4:30pm.
The sources claimed that the gunmen specifically targeted the Dutch Nationals.
A source, however noted that he could not ascertain if the two Nigerians who were on the trip were equally taken away by the captors.
The gunmen who reportedly shot sporadically to scare community residents were said to have rounded up the victims, forcing them out of the boat while they were about leaving the community back to Warri after they were conducted round the hospital by traditional ruler of Iduwini kingdom, HRM King Joel Ibane (Ogiobo IX).
An eye witness within the community, who claimed to have witnessed the scenario, said that the gunmen numbering about 10, wielding AK 47 riffles came with a Passport 19 boat and seized the captives in a commando style and sped off.
The eye witness said that before the gunmen left, they took every valuable of their victims, including laptop, IPads and cameras.
It would be recalled that the team comprised of Dutch based Nigerian activist, Comrade Sunny Ofehe of Hope for Niger Delta Campaign, HNDC, who doubled as the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Inside Niger Delta Magazine, three Dutch Nationals and another Nigerian.
The crew had on Saturday May 3 briefed members of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ, Warri Correspondent Chapel of their mission to the communities.
One of the Nigerian journalists, who crave anonymity, said the incident happened in a twinkle of an eye and so could not specifically mention the number of persons abducted.
The journalist said:" I was on the boat with the three Dutch Nationals and two Nigerians when the gunmen rounded us at Letugbene community and ordered everybody to lie face down in the boat. They collected all our belongings, including handsets, cameras, IPads among others. I heard them say take the white men away. I don't know if the other Nigerians were equally seized because at the time they left we couldn't find the two Nigerians. "
A Lagos Based Television, Galaxy Warri Correspondent, Mr. Dele Fasan, Mr. Emmanuel Adeh of Nigerian Times narrated how they escaped kidnap by the gunmen in Letugbene Community.
Mr. Dele Fasan told Fresh Angle that but for the call he received from his pastor, insisting that he must be in church on Sunday May 4; he would have been among the kidnapped victims. “My pastor called and told me that I must come to church on Sunday. So, I went to church. That was my saving grace", he narrated.
Mr. Emmanuel Adeh of Nigerian Times said he did not go for the assignment because "he has not written his will. I have just two children and a wife who I love so dearly, so I would not want to take such a risk”.
As at the time of filling this report the Joint Task Force, JTF could not be reached for comment.
Copyright: Fresh Angle International (www.freshangleng.com)
ISSN 2354 - 4104
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