Gunmen Kidnaps Monarch in Rivers

Gunmen riding on a speedboat have kidnapped the Chairman of the Abissa Council of Chiefs in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State, High Chief Matthew Opoto.

Opoto was reportedly seized and taken away while on his way to his community in the Abissa waterway.

The marauders were said to have intercepted the boat conveying Opoto alongside some members of his council of chiefs and forced the occupants to identify their target.

An indigene of the area, Minaibiye Dolphin, who confirmed the incident said the monarch was a few minutes to his destination when the assailants struck.

He said: “The chairman of Abissa council of chiefs High Chief Mathew Opito, (3rd) was travelling with some of his chiefs and about five minutes to arrive the community, gunmen came in a speed boat, identified him and took him away.

“We have no information about him. The entire community is worried, the chiefs, elders, youths and women, everybody is worried because there is no information about him up till now”.

Dolphin called on security agencies, including the Nigeria Navy Ship, Pathfinder (NNS Pathfinder) and the Rivers State Government to intervene and facilitate his release.

He said: “We are appealing and calling on the Rivers State Governor, Barr. Nyesom Wike, the police, Army and the NNS Pathfinder and other security agencies to help and secure his release.

“There is no information as to why they kidnapped him, since we are not able to get in contact with the kidnappers,” he said.

When contacted, Bayelsa Police spokesman, Grace Iringe-Koko confirmed the incident, saying the police had initiated a manhunt and investigations to free the monarch.

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