Bayelsa Speaker’s mother-in-law yet to regain freedom

Eighty-six-year-old Ogboro Orumo, the mother-in-law of the Speaker of Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Kombowei Friday Benson, is yet to regain her freedom two weeks after she was abducted by unknown gunmen.
Orumo was whisked away on Friday, May 30, from her residence in Seibiri compound in Korokorosei community, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.
The armed bandits, who operated a speed boat, invaded her home at about 1 a.m. and dragged her away into
unknown destination in the creeks, shooting sporadically.
She was said to be suffering from senility which worsened her health condition few weeks before she was abducted by the hoodlums.
It was learnt that her captors had one week after the incident established contact with a member of the family and demanded N40 million ransom.
Sources said they threatened that the amount should not be negotiated downwards otherwise they would abandon her at their hideout to rot away.
But the Speaker, who visited his in-laws to show sympathy over Orumo’s kidnap, vowed that no ransom would be paid to secure her release as the matter had been reported to the police.

A close family source said the situation has heightened anxiety and panic in the family.
Police public relations officer of the Bayelsa Police Command, Alex Akhigbe, told Sunday Independent on Friday that the police were on the trail of the kidnappers.
Akhigbe, who noted that the difficult terrain of the area was not helpful in the rescue effort, assured that the victim would be rescued very soon and the kidnappers arrested.