The 82 years old mother of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly was in the early hours of Monday kidnapped by unknown gunmen in the Korokorosei community of Southern Ijaw local government area of Bayelsa State.

The incident, which has thrown the community into confusion, is another in the series of high profile kidnappings in the Niger Delta region.

Mrs. Betinah Okunwa Benson was said to have been whisked away from her country home at about 12.30am.
According to reports, the abductors of Mrs. Benson were said to have stormed the community in two speed boats when most residents had gone to bed.

The Speaker, Mr. Kombowei Benson, could not be reached as at the time of filing this report but one of his close aide told Vanguard that the gunmen stormed the riverside community in two speedboats when most of the natives had retired to bed..

The gunmen on arrival at the village were said to have headed straight for the residence of the Speaker’s mother, took her away to their waiting speedboats  before disappearing with the aged woman into the creeks.

Though contact is yet to be established with the kidnapers, but an Aide to the Speaker said that the incident had been reported to the police.

When contacted, the police public relations officer, Mr. Fidelis Odunna confirmed the incident, saying the command had dispatched detectives and intelligence operatives to the riverside community with a view to tracking down the perpetrators of the heinous act.