By Samuel Oyadongha

Yenagoa – Bayelsa State command of the State Security Service, SSS, yesterday paraded four ex-militants for allegedly kidnapping an Italian national working with a construction firm, Moreno Company, in Ogbia, Bayelsa State.

The suspected kidnappers were said to have demanded N120 million ransom from the company before they would release their captive.

One of the alleged kidnappers, according to the SSS, is on the run and would be arrested in no distant time.

The command gave the name of the abducted expatriate as Carmelo Stella, working with Moreno, a construction company handling the Ogbia/Nembe road.

But the suspects denied the SSS claim saying the alleged N120 million ransom was what they were being owed by the company for security work and that they were not kidnappers.

Parading the suspects yesterday in Yenagoa, the  Director, SSS, Bayelsa State, Andrew Iorkyar,  said the Italian was abducted on December 9, and taken to Kimini community in Nembe before the command secured his released.

He said the five-man gang was led by Dandy Theophilus who embraced amnesty during the disarmament and surrendering of arms by militants to Federal Government.

Iorkyar said the victim was released 24 hours after his abduction at Ogbia waterways, while the four ex-militants were arrested by the security operatives.

He said though no ransom was paid, the suspects would be arraigned in court adding that any act of abduction of foreigners or person or group of persons was a criminal act.