Not fewer than eight individuals suspected in the abduction of Justice Ebiyerin Omukoro of the Bayelsa State High Court were paraded before the press on Thursday in Yenagoa.
The group, which includes six men and two women, was presented by Bayelsa State Commissioner of Police, Francis Idu, alongside the Director of the Department of State Services, Adedapo Amao.
Governor Douye Diri had previously confirmed during a State Executive Council meeting on Wednesday that all those linked to the kidnapping had been apprehended, although the gang’s leader remains at large. The suspects are currently being held by the DSS, which coordinated both the judge’s rescue and the arrests.
One of the suspects, identified as Justice Brodrick from Ozobo community in Delta State, confessed to his involvement. He explained that he was recruited by someone he described as his boss.
“So, he called me on June 21 that I should come to Yenagoa. He also called John Uzi, the person who is beside me. And I called Kelvin Olu, my younger brother, to come with me to Bayelsa,” Brodrick narrated.
“We mobilised the vehicle for the movement, and uniforms were provided. We moved from our camp, but it wasn’t a fixed target. We were just patrolling before we met the Judge at Kilimanjaro. So we approached him and kidnapped him from there to our camp.”
Brodrick claimed the group had not set out with a specific target in mind but encountered Justice Omukoro at an eatery in Yenagoa’s Ekeki area. Upon discovering the judge was an Ijaw from Ekeremor Local Government, he said they decided to “treat him well,” although their leader, referred to as “General,” insisted the judge remain in handcuffs.
Another suspect, John, confirmed being contacted for the operation but said he did not participate due to illness. However, he admitted to being at the camp when the victim was brought in.
Commissioner Idu credited the arrests to the state government’s emphasis on inter-agency cooperation under Governor Diri’s security strategy. He revealed that a special DSS team deployed from Abuja played a critical role in capturing the suspects, including the two women allegedly involved.
“The CCTV cameras installed by the government in certain parts of the state were useful throughout the rescue operation and the eventual arrest,” Idu stated, commending the governor for providing operational logistics.
The Commissioner issued a warning to criminal elements, declaring that Bayelsa is not a safe haven for unlawful activities. Meanwhile, efforts are ongoing to track down the gang leader who remains at large.
