The people who kidnapped Justice Ebiyerin Omukoro of the Bayelsa High Court have explained how the crime happened.
Bayelsa’s Commissioner of Police, Francis Idu, presented eight suspects—six men and two women—to the public. Also present was Adedapo Amao, the DSS director in Yenagoa.
These suspects are now in DSS custody. The DSS led the rescue mission and the arrests of the criminals.
Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, had earlier announced that the security agencies had caught all the suspects except their leader, who is still on the run.
One of the suspects, Justice Brodrick from Ozobo in Delta State, admitted to joining the operation. He said his boss called him and asked him to come to Yenagoa.
He explained that when they got to Yenagoa, they were given military-style uniforms and a vehicle. Then they began moving around the city looking for someone to kidnap.
Brodrick said they kidnapped Justice Omukoro from a restaurant in the Ekeki area of Yenagoa. He also claimed that the judge was not their target, but they picked him up by chance.
After the kidnapping, they took the judge to a hideout in another state. Brodrick added that when the judge told them he was an Ijaw man from Ekeremor, they decided to treat him kindly.
Their leader, known as “General,” told them to keep the judge in handcuffs but also to show him respect as a fellow Ijaw man.
Brodrick shared more details, saying he got the call on June 21 and came to Yenagoa with his younger brother and another man named John Uzi. They were all part of the plan and helped in the kidnapping.
Another suspect, John, said he didn’t take part in the actual kidnapping because he was sick. However, he admitted being at the camp when the judge was brought in.
The Commissioner of Police praised the work of the security team. He said the success of this operation shows that the government’s security plans are working.
He added that Governor Diri always encourages different security agencies to work together to fight crime in the state.
The police chief also said that a special DSS team was sent from Abuja to support the operation. Their efforts led to the arrest of all eight suspects, including the two women involved.
He thanked the governor for providing the tools and support needed for the rescue.
He also mentioned that CCTV cameras placed around the state by the government played a big role in tracking down the criminals.
In his closing message, Idu warned anyone planning to commit crimes in Bayelsa to think again, as the state is no longer safe for criminals.
