The Bayelsa Police Command says it has rescued the mother of the leader of the Bayelsa House of Assembly, Madam Esther Akpe, from her captors.

Esther, mother of Mr Peter Akpe, the Majority Leader of the assembly, was kidnapped by gunmen on Feb. 5 in Ebedebiri community, Sagbama Local Government Area.

The Police Public Relations officer, Mr Fidelis Odunna, confirmed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Yenagoa that the House Leader's mother was rescued on Tuesday.

He said the woman was rescued through the intensive effort of the command, which swooped on the hideout of the kidnappers and engaged them in a gun battle.

"I can confirm that the old woman had regained her freedom, her rescue followed the effort of the police who engaged the kidnappers in a shoot-out," Odunna said.

The police spokesman, who could not give the exact location of the operation that led to the rescue of Esther, said that no casualty was recorded during the operation.

According to him, for now I don't have much detail of the rescue operation.

"However, I am aware that officials of the State Security Service have since gone to pick the woman up; there may be a press conference later in the day."

Efforts to reach the lawmaker on phone proved abortive. (NAN)