Ex-gov Sylva’s uncle dies in kidnappers’ den ■ After paying N5m ransom

The 87-year-old uncle of former governor of Bay­elsa State, Timipre Sylva, Chief Benson Adi­go-Eseni kidnapped since July 28, has died in the kidnappers’ den.

Though an autopsy is yet to be conducted to deter­mine the cause of his death, checks indicated that the kidnappers had earlier col­lected a ransom of N5 mil­lion for his freedom.

The family was said to have paid the money through a trusted source and after an initial argument, they agreed not to inform the police about the ransom payment since the state gov­ernment had declared that it would not negotiate with kidnappers.

Few days ago, a member of the family had expressed concern over the delay in releasing the octogenarian even after the family had fulfilled all the conditions given by the kidnappers in­cluding the payment of the ransom.

One of the victim’s sons, Fabo said anxiety has gripped the entire family be­cause their father was down with high blood pressure shortly before he was kid­napped and the kidnappers did not go with his drugs and phone. Their anxiety was heightened when after col­lecting the ransom money, the kidnappers switched off their phones and they could no longer be reached.

Checks indicated that se­curity operatives, who have been on the case, were able to trace one of the phones used in calling someone in Warri simply identified as Nelson who gave very use­ful information and led a team of security operatives and officials of the Ministry of Health to where they bur­ied the deceased in a shallow grave at Kula, a border com­munity between Rivers and Bayelsa states.

Nelson, who confessed that he was given N250, 000 out of the money, however disclosed that as at the time the money was paid, the man had already died.

He explained that he was forcefully conscripted into the kidnap plot under the guise of driving some work­ers to Nembe, noting that his attempt to discontinue the journey was met with a death threat by the ring lead­er simply identified as Ebi.

Nelson, who said he is a school certificate holder, dis­closed that the victim died on August 16 shortly after eating.

“The man just finished eating and sat down. Sud­denly, he started choking and slumped. It was Ebi that was shouting that the man was dying and before we could do anything, he was already dead. Ebi said he would think of what to do. We told him to return the body to the family but he said he would bury him at Kula. An argument then ensued but he insisted that he would bury the man and collect the ransom so that he could escape abroad”

The Deputy Commission­er of Police, Bayelsa State Command, Ahmed Bello, who confirmed the death of Chief Adigo and the arrest of the suspect, disclosed that the grave was discovered Thursday night.

“On 28th August, 2014, acting on a tip-off, a com­bined team of security agen­cies in Bayelsa State and men of the Bayelsa Minis­try of Health were led to a border town between Rivers and Bayelsa states near Kula village, where a shallow grave was discovered.

“On excavation, the body of the late Chief Adigo Es­eni, aged 87, who was ear­lier kidnapped on 28th July, 2014 by unknown gunmen, was exhumed from the shal­low grave under the supervi­sion of a senior pathologist from the Bayelsa State Min­istry of Health. The corpse was deposited at the Federal Medical Centre mortuary, Yenagoa for autopsy”, the police boss stated.

Bello assured that in­vestigations were ongoing, adding that others involved in the kidnap would be eventually arrested. The Sun