Unknown gunmen have abducted
three Dutch nationals and their two Nigerian counterparts on Sunday, at
Letugbene, a boundary community between Delta and Bayelsa states.
The victims, who were being
accompanied by two journalists to Dodo River, were abducted at about 4:30p.m.
Their names were given as Mr
Erhard Leffers, Marianne Hendriks-Vos, Drukkerij Gerrits, Comrade Sunny Ofehe
and Mr Femi Soewu (creative director, Africa Web TV).
Leffers is a documentary expert,
and the only Dutch female among the victims, Hendriks-Vos, works as magazine
manager of Inside NigerDelta, while Comrade Ofehe is of the Hope for Niger
Delta Campaign (HNDC) and editor-in-chief of Inside NigerDelta based in the
Netherlands.
The victims were said to be on a
fact-finding mission to communities within the Dodo River, six hours from
Bayelsa and three hours on speed boat from Warri, to ascertain claims over a
local hospital which is said to be thriving, despite absence of government’s
patronage and to find out how they could attract material support to meet the
health care needs of the people.
A leader of Dodo River community,
Berry Negerese, and other youths led the crew on the journey from Warri to the
community early Sunday morning, before they were abducted after they had been
conducted round the hospital by traditional ruler of Iduwini kingdom, HRM King
Joel Ibane ( Ogiobo IX) and were returning to Warri.
The gunmen numbering about 10
were said to be armed with AK 47 rifles and swooped on the crew with a Passport
19 boat in a commando-like manner, before they stole into the creeks.
Nigerian Tribune gathered that
valuable items belonging to the victims and the Nigerian journalists included
laptops, IPads, smart phones and cameras belonging to the crew as well as the
Nigerian journalists.
The three Dutch and their
Nigerian counterparts were at the NUJ Press Centre last Saturday (a day before
the fateful day) to brief the press on their mission to Nigeria.
Meanwhile, The Ijaw Youth Council
(IYC) Worldwide has condemned the kidnap of three Dutch nationals at Letugbene
community in Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa State by armed men. The
IYC in a statement by its spokesman, Eric Omare, condemned this barbaric act,
noting “this is an act of a criminal few and does not represent the collective
aspirations of the Niger Delta people.”