The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta has said contrary to the claim that no ransom was paid for the release of Ebikeme Clark, the son of Ijaw National Leader, the sum of N500m was disbursed for his freedom.
MEND said Ebikeme’s abduction was stage-managed by the victim himself and disclosed that Delta State Government paid the ransom, which was shared among those involved in the fraud.
A statement by the militant group’s spokesperson, Jomo Gbomo, specified that the ransom was released from the Delta State Government’s security vote.
MEND alleged that the kidnap victim, who was released on Sunday, was following the footsteps of his father, Chief Edwin Clark, who formulated the idea of the Niger Delta Amnesty Programme that had made him and few thugs billionaires.
The group said, “The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta has confirmed that the kidnap of Mr. Ebikeme Clark, the son of Chief E.K Clark, was actually a clever orchestrated fraud masterminded by Ebikeme, who stage-managed his own abduction.
“A ransom of N500m was paid by the Delta State Government from its security vote and was shared amongst all those involved in this scam.
“Mr Ebikeme is following in the footsteps of his father where the Senior Clark is amongst those that hatched the fraudulent Niger Delta Amnesty Programme, which has only made billionaires of a few thugs and him, to the detriment of millions of impoverished indigenes and the peace and security in the region.”
The militant group also accused the Delta State Police Command of conspiring with some unscrupulous persons, who were desperate for funds to maintain a private jet, to deceive Nigerians with a phantom abduction and release of a ‘hostage’.
The Delta State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Chike Ogeah, however, described the allegation that the state government paid N500m ransom for Ebikeme’s release as “an absolute lie, idle, wicked and unnecessary rumour.”
Ogeah, who responded through a text message to our correspondent, said MEND’s allegation against the state government should be disregarded.
via nigerianeye
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