By Samuel Oyadongha

Yenagoa — Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, yesterday, said that the recent spate of kidnapping in the state was aimed at giving the international community a wrong impression about the security situation at the home base of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Speaking at a civic reception held in his honour at Ogbia, headquarters of Ogbia Local Government Area of the state, during his thank you visit to the area, Dickson described as unfortunate, the abduction of Pa Nelson Tempurah, father of the state Commissioner for Tourism Development, Mr. Nelson Belief, as well as the wife and daughter of the state Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Treasurer, Mr. Gbalipre Turner.

Calling for the immediate release of the captives, the governor warned the people against being used by criminal elements within and outside the state.

Dickson also called on the people of the state to be watchful, especially as the country was warming up for the 2015 general elections, noting that some criminal elements were looking for means of breaching the security situation in the state.

He explained that necessary security measures were being put in place to checkmate the activities of miscreants and make the state an investment haven.

He said: “Some of those people who are working hard to destabilise our state and discredit the home base of the President may not be even too far. Very few of them are even among us, working in collaboration with the people outside to destabilise Bayelsa, but, I know that they will not succeed.

“If anything bad happens here, it gives our detractors happiness. So, I want to use this opportunity to condemn the recent acts of kidnapping that are particularly targeted at Ogbia area to discredit us and create a feeling of insecurity in this council.

“Anything they do to Bayelsa is hot news that makes front page of newspapers. So, you need to caution yourselves. My message to them (kidnappers) is that the people being held captive, particularly the innocent wife of ours should be released without further delay. For those who are thinking of that as a lifestyle, we call on you to desist because it is in your interest to do so.”