Gunmen free two abducted Lebanese in Bayelsa state

NEDU MARK, YENAGOA
Police authorities in Bayelsa state have confirmed the release of two abducted Lebanese expatriates who work in a construction firm in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa state.
Although the whereabouts of the kidnappers remain unknown to security personnel, the foreigners are said to be in good health conditions.
Confirming their release, Police Public Relations Officer, Bayelsa state command, Mr Asinim Butswat, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, ASP, said that the two Lebanese were freed on Thursday by the kidnappers.
Butswat gave the names of the two freed expatriates as Ibrahim Abi Phrem and Sarkis Abi Chimooni, all Male who were kidnapped on June 24 at Ogbia Local Government Area.
“They were rescued at Okodi, in Ogbia riverine community on 25 June 2015 where they were abandoned by the kidnappers due to massive manhunt by Police.
“They are hale and hearty and have reunited with their families. Efforts are being intensified to arrest the kidnappers,” Butswat said.
He also noted that the yet to be identified gunmen on Wednesday afternoon killed two policemen and abducted the two Lebanese nationals in Onuegbum community.
The slain Policemen were attached to Pache Construction Company , employers of the abducted Lebanese.
The gunmen, according to residents who witnessed the incident were eight in number and arrived the community at about 12.20pm through the waterways in two speed boats.
They reportedly besieged the sand dredging site and shot repeatedly into the air to scare away passersby and other dredging workers in the area who escaped to safety.
The two Policemen responded with gun shots,but were killed by the volley of shots released by the armed men.
Butswat said the corpses of the killed policemen have been deposited at the mortuary of the Federal Medical Centre for autopsy.
He declined making the identities of the deceased police officers public, but stated that efforts were being intensified to arrest the kidnappers and bring them to book.