By Kuwekuzi Aigbe
The immediate past Commissioner for Information and Orientation in Bayelsa State, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, has appealed to his kinsmen in Ogbia Local Government Area to unite against criminality in the council.
Iworiso-Markson, who served under the former administration of Governor Seriake Dickson decried kidnapping of high profile Ogbia people in the area.
He called on youths of the area to stop indulging in kidnapping as a means of survival, stressing that they were only demarketing Ogbia in particular and Bayelsa state in general.
Iworiso-Markson spoke at the weekend when he visited the state Commissioner for Industry, Trade and Investment, Federal Otokito, who was recently kidnapped in the area by gunmen.
The abductors of Otokito inflicted high degree of injuries on his body but he was fortunate to have survived before he was rescued by security operatives.
Read Also: FG’s committed to tackle insecurity – Osinbajo
Iworiso-Markson, said it was sad that the unfortunate incident had been allegedly traced to some people close to the victim, insisting that there was no justification for such a heinous crime.
He thanked God for sparing the life of the commissioner and commended the state Governor, Senator Douye Diri and security agencies for going after all persons complicit in the act.
He further appealed to people of Ogbia not to allow politics to divide them, and urged them to prioritise the development of Ogbia ahead of the 2023 general elections.
He said: “I came here today to visit my friend and brother, Hon. Federal Otokito. I heard the sad news of his kidnap and I was pained. Otokito is a peaceful man who is doing his job as Commissioner for Trade and Investment.
“He doesn’t deserve this wicked action against him. Seeing his bruised body alone makes me emotional. I can imagine what he went through and the pain he is going through now.
“I’m happy he was rescued alive. I thank the state government and security agencies for that and I also urge them to bring those behind this to book. A lot of these things are carried out by our youths and it has to stop. This is not a legitimate venture for whatever reason it was done.
“Ogbia people must unite against crime and criminal acts. It is becoming too much. If it is for politics then we should stop it. Politics should not divide us or make us lose our loved ones”.
