Kidnappers Tell On How Bayelsa Judge Was Taken From Eatery

Security operatives have arrested eight people in connection with the recent abduction of a Bayelsa State High Court judge, shedding light on how the crime was carried out.

The suspects—six men and two women—were paraded in Yenagoa by the Bayelsa State Commissioner of Police, Francis Idu. Also present was the Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), Adedapo Amao. The DSS, which handled the rescue and arrest operation, currently has the suspects in custody.

Governor Douye Diri had earlier announced during a State Executive Council meeting that all the kidnappers had been apprehended except for their leader, who remains on the run.

One of the suspects, Justice Brodrick, said he was invited by a man he referred to as his boss and arrived in Yenagoa on June 21. He came with his younger brother and another associate. According to him, they were given uniforms and a vehicle for the operation. He claimed they had no specific target and only stumbled on the judge while patrolling the city.

The victim, identified as Justice Omukoro, was abducted from the premises of a popular eatery in the Ekeki area of Yenagoa and transported to a camp outside the state. Brodrick added that when the judge revealed he was Ijaw and from Ekeremor Local Government Area, they decided to “treat him well,” although he remained in handcuffs on the orders of the gang leader, known only as “General.”

Another suspect, identified as John, claimed he did not take part in the operation due to illness but was present at the camp when the judge was brought in.

Police Commissioner Francis Idu praised the joint efforts of security agencies in bringing the suspects to justice. He said the DSS deployed a special unit from Abuja to support the operation. He also credited the CCTV cameras installed by the state government in key areas, which helped track the suspects and recover the judge.

He warned that criminal elements would find Bayelsa increasingly difficult to operate in, as the state’s security network was tightening under the current administration. He thanked Governor Diri for consistently supporting the security architecture with the logistics needed to keep the state safe.