by Akintomiwa Agbaje

The kidnappers of Pa Uroh Nelson Tempurah have demanded for N98 million ransom before he can be set free.

Tempurah is the father of Bayelsa State Commissioner for Tourism Development, Nelson Belief.

The victim was abducted from his home at Akassa on the Atlantic fringe of Brass last Wednesday by heavily armed gunmen who took him to an unknown destination.

Vangaurd reports:

The heavily armed kidnappers were said to have stormed the coastal settlement in a speedboat at 2.56a.m.

It was, however, learnt that the gunmen contacted Mr. Belief Monday night, demanding for the N98 million ransom.

A source close to the troubled family told Vanguard that the kidnappers allowed the old man to speak with his son on phone.

The commissioner, who confirmed the development, said: “Yes. I spoke with my father yesterday” (Monday).

He also confirmed the N98 million ransom being demanded by the kidnappers.

The commissioner had, weekend, told Vanguard that he had handed over everything to God and had prayed for divine intervention, wondering why anybody would want to subject his aged father to such trauma.

He prayed God to cause confusion among his kidnappers to release his father unconditionally just as he expressed optimism in the ability of the security agencies to rise up to the occasion.

Contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Alex Akhigbe, who confirmed that the kidnappers had established contact with their victim’s family, said the police are on the trail of the kidnappers.

He said: “We have deployed a crack team of operatives from the anti-kidnapping squad to strategic locations in the creeks and they are on the trail of the kidnappers. They would be fish out and brought to book.”