American dies in vessel cabin - As kidnappers demand lawmaker’s resignation

Bolaji Ogundele, Port Harcourt - 12.05.2008

A national of the United States of America (USA), Steve Degerstrom, was on Sunday found dead in his cabin on a ship anchored at the Onne Port in Rivers State.

Nigerian Tribune gathered that Degerstrom was suspected to have died in his sleep over the night. The cause of his death had not been ascertained as at the time of filing this report.

According to a source, the American, who was known to be a very disciplined man, failed to come out of his cabin in the morning as usual, the development which raised the alarm among other crew members.

He said further that when the curious fellow workers could not wait any longer, they forced their way into his cabin and found that he was dead.

In another development, there is now pressure on the leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Honour-able Golden Chioma, to resign from the legislature for his mother, Mrs. Fidelia Chioma, who was now held hostage, to be released.

Nigerian Tribune was reliably informed that the abductors of the woman were insisting that the only condition on which they would release her was the resignation of her son, who was currently on a retreat in Australia with his colleagues.

According to a source, the abductors had contacted the lawmaker’s younger brother on phone at the weekend and demanded the resignation of Mr. Golden from the Assembly as the only condition for the release of their mother.

“When we contacted the House Leader, he expressed shock that people could go and abduct his mother for political reasons. He said his mother was not a politician, hence it was absurd for anyone to abduct her and then turn to ask for his resignation,” the source said.