A military task force, Operation Delta Safe (OPDS), has rescued a youth leader, Comrade Ebitimi Ododoa, from gunmen at Ikebiri 1 community in  Southern Ijaw council of Bayelsa State.

Also, Operation Puff Adder, a police team, in Bayelsa State, arrested two suspects in connection with the abduction of a bank executive in the state.

Yesterday, soldiers thwarted the attempt to abduct Ododoa, a ranking member of the Movement for the Survival of Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta (MOSIEND), by some gunmen suspected to be loyal to a known militant leader at Ikebiri.

It was learnt that six heavily-armed men, had stormed the Ikebiri 1 community to abduct Ododoa over his alleged disregard for a militant kingpin and collusion with the military in countering crude oil theft in the area.

MOSIEND’s chairman, Olodia Clan, Comrade Perekebuna Matthew, confirmed the development to reporters yesterday.

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Matthew said: “The gunmen invaded Ikebiri community with a speedboat with a power bike inside it. The military got the information and countered them. They ran away but abandoned the speedboat and powerbike.

“They later came back and abducted Ebitimi Ododoa and took him to the bush. They beat him to a state of unconsciousness and left him for dead at the waterfront. The Nigerian Army rescued him and took him to hospital.”

On the banker’s abduction, police reportedly arrested two suspects allegedly involved in the June 30, 2022 kidnap of Danjuma Emeije, the bank executive, in Yenagoa.

It was gathered that the kidnap suspects reportedly collected N60m ransom over Emeije’s abduction.

A cybercafé owner, Kingsley Innocent, 31, and Godlives Donald, 24, who claimed to be Rivers police informants, were reportedly arrested by the police in connection with the banker’s abduction.

Police spokesman Asinim Butswat said investigation was ongoing and progress being made.