Gunmen release Nigerian hostage in Bayelsa

Yenagoa—A Nigerian,
identified as Austin Giwa,
abducted Monday, on the
Atlantic coast of Brass Local
Government Area, Bayelsa
State, alongside four
expatriates believed to be
Korean nationals, has been
released by the kidnappers.
However, the Korean
captives, identified as J. S.
Chae, J. H. Kim, K. H. Kim and P.
W. Lee, were yet to be
released and their
whereabouts remain
unknown despite the
manhunt launched by
security operatives for their
kidnappers, whose Monday
action, rattled the relative
peace in the coastal enclave.
The state governor, Mr.
Seriake Dickson, yesterday,
said security chiefs in the
state had intensified effort to
secure the quick release of
the hostages.
Condemning the act of
criminality, the state
governor, in statement by his
Chief Press Secretary, Mr.
Daniel Iworiso-Markson, said:
"We will make the state too
hot for kidnappers to carry
out their trade. Bayelsa State
will not tolerate any form of
kidnapping and we will do
everything within our power
to arrest the ugly trend."
The victims were kidnapped
when gunmen raided a
Korean firm, Hyundai
Fabrication Company, at
Okpoama, Brass council of
the state.
It was gathered that after
blindfolding their captives
and moving them to an
unknown destination, the
gunmen changed their
minds and released their
Nigerian victim.
The victim, who was
blindfolded, was reportedly
dumped in the mangrove
swamps close to Odioma
creek on the Okpoama
waterway after identifying
himself as a Nigerian from
Brass.
"He was released at 5.30pm,
about one hour, thirty
minutes after their
abduction. A woman, who
was fishing in the river saw
him where he was tied and
dumped and rescued him.
She took him to the police
station where he made a
statement," a source said