Abducted Clark's Son Released, Offered N5,000 Transport Fare Home

SAN FRANCISCO, April 06, (THEWILL) - Ebikeme, the abducted son of the Ijaw foremost leader, Chief Edwin Clark, has been released by his captors.

Ebikeme was released late Saturday night by the kidnappers but was found at home on Sunday morning.

THEWILL reliably gathered that the kidnappers dropped Ebikeme at Ogriagbene in Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State from where he boarded a commercial vehicle to Bomadi town.

It was reliably gathered that the kidnappers offered him N5,000 as transport fare though it couldn't be ascertained if the money was from the proceed of the ransom demanded.

It was not also clear if any ransom was paid before he was released but sources said the kidnappers may have released their victim following heavy pressure on them.

A source said the kidnappers were threatened because they have been identified by Ijaw kinsmen of Clark.

The radical ijaw youth group, Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) had begun a major manhunt for the abductors of Ebikeme in the creeks of Delta and Bayelsa States.

Eric Omare, IYC's spokesman, in an earlier statement said his organisation had identified the kidnappers and have constituted a crack team to fish them out.

Omare said the rescue team would comb the Riverine Clans of Oporomor, Seimbiri, Ingbelebiri and Mein in Bayelsa and Delta States to fish out Ebikeme's kidnappers.

The kidnappers, it was learnt, had demanded N60million ransom to release Ebikeme but it was not clear if any money was eventually paid.

A suspect, identified as Kevwe Basil, had earlier been arrested by the police in connection with the kidnap.

The suspect who was arrested by some community youths was found with various kind of telephone SIM cards which his gang were using to negotiate ransom with the victim's family.

Ebikeme was seized by a gang of kidnappers numbering seven at the site of the multi-million naira Edwin Clark University of Technology, Kiagbodo, Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State last Wednesday.

The octogenarian Ijaw leader had initiated the project and Ebikeme is the supervisor.

The gunmen, who stormed the site in a rickety Audi car, had commandeered Ebikeme into his Toyota Hiace bus and sped off amidst sporadic gunshots to a nearby jetty in the community.

He was later ferried in a speedboat to an unknown coastal community.