Two suspected attackers of Bayelsa NYSC member nabbed, victim to be flown abroad

YENAGOA — The police in Bayelsa State have arrested the alleged attackers of Miss Folakemi Akinbode, a National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, member serving in the state whose right hand was almost chopped off, Monday night, at Obunagha in Yenagoa Local Government Area.

Meantime, an Italian firm has agreed to sponsor the victim who has regained conciousness overseas for proper medical treatment and rehabilitation.

Folakemi Akinbode

The two suspects, identified as Ebi Jatto and Weriye Aluwa, who are currently in police custody, it was learnt, were nabbed 72 hours after the attack through the support of the Obunagha community youths.

Miss Akinbode was attacked with a machete for reportedly refusing to hand over unspecified amount of money in her possession while returning from work that fateful, Monday.

It was reliably gathered that the suspects were arrested  at Koroama community about two kilometres from the scene of crime while attempting to sell the mobile phone of their victim.

A security source told Vanguard that the suspects had confessed to the crime and claimed that the lady struggled with them in their attempt to snatch her bag.

The  corps member, it would be recalled, was attacked at about 8.30pm while returning to the lodge near the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital, Okolobori, her place of primary assignment.

Miss Akinbode, 26, a graduate Nurse of Madonna University was reported to have been in charge of huge amount of money used by the hospital to pay blood donors at the blood bank section of the hospital.

The arrested suspects, according to a security source,  were present during the payment made to the blood donors by the corps member.

According to the security source, “they claimed that all they wanted from her was the remaining money she kept in her bag after the payments in the afternoon. But that when she struggled and identified one of them, she was attacked with machete.”

Confirming the arrest, the traditional rule of the Obunagha community, the Ibolou XI, H.R.H Godsgive Apoh, said the prompt arrest of the suspected attackers was made possible by emergency meeting of youth vigilante body set up to investigate and apprehend those involved in the attack.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Alex Akhigbe, confirmed the arrest but said they were yet to establish the motive behind the attack.

Victim  for overseas treatment

Meanwhile, an unnamed Italian firm, it was learnt, is making frantic effort to fly the victim overseas for treatment.

Sources, however, told Vanguard that the move was stalled, yesterday,  due to the Sallah holidays and other logistics.

“We are optimistic that the problem would be sorted out on Monday after the Sallah holidays to enable her travel overseas for proper medical attention and rehabilitation,” a source told Vanguard.

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