Gunmen kidnap, behead chieftaincy aspirant in Bayelsa

The serene riverside town of Agbere in Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa State has been engulfed in grief following the abduction and gruesome murder of Mr. Clement Hamo, a candidate vying for the community’s traditional leadership position.  

Reports indicate that Mr. Hamo was kidnapped from his residence on Christmas Day by unidentified gunmen who used the river as their escape route.

Days later, his decapitated body was discovered on the River Forcados in neighboring Delta State.

The motive behind the horrifying act remains unclear, as the assailants did not demand a ransom.

However, sources suggest that his candidacy for the traditional stool may have been a factor.

The shocking incident has left the Agbere community in mourning and has heightened concerns about security in the region. Local authorities are yet to provide further details as investigations continue.

“We received information that a body was floating and got stuck somewhere on the River Forcados in Delta State.

“Some youths were dispatched to the scene where they discovered it was that of the victim. The body was without a head and they brought it for burial. He was contesting to be the traditional ruler,” the source said.

According to him, “The deceased was a good man, who had been doing good from the beginning. I am sad and the community is in mourning over the sad incident.”

Also speaking, another indigene of the community, said: “The social media platforms had been awash with news of the incident surrounding the kidnap, beheading and subsequent recovery of the headless corpse of our kinsman which had shaken Agbere community to its roots.”

Contacted, Spokesman of the state police command, Musa Mohammed, said he was aware of the incident and that investigations were ongoing.