Bayelsa Senator’s 90-Year-Old Mother Freed By Captors

SEN. EMMANUEL PAULKER
SEN. EMMANUEL PAULKER

Florentina Paulker, the 90-year-old mother of Senator Emmanuel Paulker, has been released by her abductors.

The nonagenarian was kidnapped by gunmen for the second time on July 30.

Mr. Paulker, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) representing Bayelsa Central, is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum, Upstream.

The gunmen had invaded the victim’s residence in Opollo-Epie area of Yenagoa and fired shots, which killed an officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency before whisking her away to an unknown destination.

Confirming news of her release, the Bayelsa police commissioner, Hillary Okpara, told journalists on Wednesday that she was abandoned at a fishing camp in Azuzuama community of Southern Ijaw Local Government Council of the state.

The police boss believed she was freed as a result of security agencies closing in on the abductors.

“We had reported to you earlier that we arrested many of the suspects. The parents of the people arrested put pressure on the kidnappers and those arrested also put pressure on them.

“They dropped her at a fishing camp in Azuzuama. It was a combined effort of the police and other security agencies”, Mr. Okpara said.