Yenagoa—A Bayelsa based legal practitioner, Barr. John Osom Makbere, has narrated a deadly encounter he had with kidnappers some 14 years ago.
Makbere, who narrated his experience via a Facebook post on Monday, stated that the victim is a son of Igoniderigha Denghefa.
Denghefa served as a personal assistant to Chief Opuala-Charles, former Commissioner of Finance in Bayelsa State.
The post reads in part:
“It happened that I had dropped my children off at the Cedar Court British International School, Imgbi Road , Amarata that morning and I was engaged thereafter in some discussions with English.
“Ndutimi Asimgbi, a fellow RSUST alumni, when I saw a child struggling in the hands of a young man moving towards a parked grey colored Mercedes Benz car. Within seconds of spotting the imbroglio a voice sounded the obligatory injunction trice, saying,”don’t let that child into that vehicle”(3 times).
“Fast and dense as the rush hour traffic was I didn’t know when I dashed across the road to the intercontinental hotel extent of the road and accosted the villain. How did it happen? Immediately, the guy saw me he was shocked.
“But, before he could repackage his senses I had dived him in firm grip and in a flash all I saw him do, was dropping the child in my hands and hurrying into the waiting vehicle, whilst I was still chasing him into the car one of them brought out a pistol gun, but was too petrified to pull the trigger.
“In tremulous panting and nervous jerks I took the child to the gate post and handed him over to a woman, who identified herself as the mother.
“A multitude of crowd gathered extolling the death-daring feat, while a friend who witnessed the incident was asking me in the following words, to wit:
“Osom, so na with bare hands you go dive those kidnappers. O, boy you get mind ooo! What if they had shot at you?”.
“I didn’t respond because, he didn’t know what urged me into that heroism that morning.
“Later that day, the then commissioner of police, Ringim, who later became the inspector general of Police invited me to the Police Headquarters, Bayelsa State Command, where I was interviewed on the incident by Ovieteme George (AIT Correspondent, as he then was)
Samuel Oyadongha of the Vanguard Newspapers also captured the story, titled, “Lawyer foils Kidnap attempt.”
He explained that, “Unfortunately, my uncommon courage was dismissed by the then SSG as a noble task for which reward should come from God. That similar heroism was amply appreciated by Gov. Rotimi Amaechi in Rivers State in the case of two okada operatives saving a kidnap victim.
“Ironically, that very SSG mediated severally between sea pirates and the state government for ransom in the era of hostage-taking and kidnappings.
In some little ways I have tried to remain within the realms of humility and that humility is evident in my bank account, whilst villains are decorated and accorded red-carpet treats daily.
“I am unruffled for someday the righteous will rule and remember their confederates in rectitude. Celebrate me now that I am alive,” he urged members of the public.
Source Mangrovepn
