Gunmen abduct Dickson’s sister in Bayelsa

Unidentified gunmen yesterday abducted Nancy Keme Dickson, the younger sister to Bayelsa State’s governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson.

Nancy, 26, who was said to be the last child of the Dicksons was kidnapped at her shop located in Okaka Road, Yenagoa, the state capital.

It was gathered that the gunmen who reportedly drove in an ash Lexus Jeep, trailed their target to her shop and whisked her away to an unknown place at about 2:50pm.

It was unclear how the assailants managed to abduct their victim in broad daylight in a city guarded at strategic points by patrol vehicles of the state’s security outfit, Operation Door Akpo.

Investigations revealed that shortly after the incident the police mounted stop and search operations on vehicles at different parts of the city.

Most residents claimed that the incident was politically motivated.

Dickson, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is facing a fierce reelection battle in the ongoing governorship poll in the state.

Though the governor leads with over 33,000 votes, the rerun poll in Southern Ijaw and about 112 other polling units, which had been fixed for January 9, 2016, makes the contest competitive and tight.

Bayelsa has been under the throes of kidnapping with persons close to governorship candidates abducted.  Among these are a cousin to the Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Timipre Sylva; the centenarian mother of his running mate, Chief Wilberforce Igiri and the wife of an APC chieftain and former acting Governor, Nestor Binabo, were among persons abducted before the poll.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Asinim But swat, confirmed the abduction of Nancy.

He said: “On the 19 December, 2015, at about 1450hrs, four unknown gunmen in an ash coloured Lexus Jeep, trailed one Nancy Keme Dickinson, 26 yrs, to her shop at Okaka road, Yenagoa, and abducted her and her sales girl to an unknown destination.

“The command immediately embarked on a Stop and Search/Cordon Operations in a bid to rescue the victims and apprehend the perpetrators. Efforts have been intensified to arrest the abductors. Investigation is ongoing.”

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