How Gunmen Whisked Away Journalist In Bayelsa

Eyewitnesses have narrated a shocking experience of how four armed men suspected to be operatives of Directorate of Security Services (DSS) whisked away a journalist, Jones Abiri,  to an disclosed location on Saturday.

He was at his office at Azikoro junction of Yenagoa, at about 4:30 pm yesterday in company of his friends when he was taken away, in a white Hilux Van and black Prado Jeep.

Abiri, who is the publisher of Weekly Source Newspaper, had just been released from incarceration after spending two years over alleged terrorism.

Austin Bodo, a journalist who witnessed the incident, said “we were sitting outside his office when a black Prado jeep and white Hilux drove into the premises in commando style.

“As they packed, two men carrying the type of guns used by DSS operatives, jumped out of one of the cars and said Abiri was under arrest and immediately started dragging him and forced him into one of the cars and drove off.”

Another witness, Mr. Bankole Abdulazeez, said “we were discussing national issues when the cars drove in.

“Two armed men came out of the cars and without identifying themselves, they said you are under arrest and started dragging him.

“They threatened to shoot anybody that tries to stop them.

“I heard him shouting ‘what have I done again? what have I done again?’ Before they finally dragged him into one of the cars and drove off,” he said.

When contacted, a DSS Official, who preferred anonymity, said: “I only heard of it from a journalist friend; I don’t think it is our men from here.”

It was yet to be ascertained whether his arrest had political undertones, especially with the tensions stirred up by the recent elections across the country.