Odi crisis: Gunmen kidnap uinversity don

A university don and Chairman of the Odi Compensation Disbursement Committee, Professor Zibokere Dau­kiye has been kidnapped.

The gunmen were said to have stormed the com­munity on Friday through the jetty and headed to Dau­kiye’s house, from where he was whisked into a waiting speedboat at the jetty and taken to an unknown desti­nation.

Odi has been embroiled in crisis since the Federal Gov­ernment paid N15 billion to the community as compen­sation for the invasion of the community by the former government of Chief Oluse­gun Obasanjo in 1999.

The initial committee, which spearheaded the sponsorship of the suit in the court, headed by Prof Imanaghan had to step down when the community reject­ed the plans to use part of the funds for development projects and opted to share it among the people.

The crisis, however, worsened when the sharing formula led to series of pro­tests and some people in the community had to write a petition to the Bayelsa State Police Command over the activities of some members of the disbursement com­mittee in the community.

It is believed that the ab­duction of Daukiye was con­nected to the crisis rocking the community over the dis­bursement of the compensa­tion funds.

Bayelsa state Police com­mand spokesman, Ansnim Butswat, who confirmed the story said the Police had launched a manhunt for the kidnappers.