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Jonathan cousin kidnappers demand 500m ransom

Published

11 years ago

February 28, 2014

The kidnappers of Chief Inengite Nitabai, cousin to President
Goodluck Jonathan, have demanded the sum of N500m ransom to set
him free.
Nitabai, aged 70, was abducted last Sunday by ten armed men at his
Otuoke residence in Ogbia local government area of Bayelsa State
and taken away in his private Sports Utitlity Vehicle after collecting
N400,000 from his wife.The vehicle was later
recovered at Unuegbum waterfront where it was abandoned, an
indication that the gunmen escaped through the creek.
The victim, his wife, his wife’s sister and three of his children were in
the house when the gunmen struck.
But that respite it was learnt came the way of the family when the
kidnappers contacted them to make the ransom demand Thursday.
It was learnt that the outrageous demand unsettled the family
members who had since resorted to prayers for divine intervention.
Though his children had declined media enquiries on the matter so as
not to jeopardize police efforts, a security source told Saturday
Vanguard that the abductors threatened to kill their victim if the
family failed to accede to their demand..
The security source who spoke anonymously said the family had
constituted a committee to evaluate the demand, establish negotiations
with the abductors and facilitate his release.
The kidnappers, according to the source, as usual warned against the
involvement of security operatives in the matter.
“The kidnappers contacted the family four days after and demanded a
whooping sum of N500m. It is believed that the family of the victim
has begun negotiations with the hoodlums,” he said.
The troubled family members had shortly after the incident chose to
maintained silence on media enquiry on the matter for security reason
in spite of growing anxiety following the refusal of the kidnappers to
establish contact with them.
The state police spokesman, Mr. Alex Akhigbe could not be reached
for comment but there had been massive security presence in the
community with operatives combing the creeks and waterways of the
state in search of the kidnappers.