President Goodluck Jonathan’s first cousin, Chief Inengite Nitabai, has been kidnapped in Otuoke, Ogbia LGA, Bayelsa State.
About ten heavily armed men stormed Nitabai’s family compound on Sunday February 23rd 2014 at about 8:30 p.m.and abducted him in the presence of his wife and three children.
70-year-old Nitabai is the compound chief and head of President Jonathan’s family. He’s been acting as President Goodluck’s father since his biological father died.
According to reports, five of the gunmen entered the house while the remaining stood watch outside the premises.
On entering the house, they ordered everyone to lie down threatening to shoot them. They hit Nitabai’s wife on the head and demanded for money.
The gunmen escorted her to the bedroom and collected N400,000 she offered them.
Immediately after collecting the money, the gunmen reportedly led Nitabai into their car and sped away.
The gunmen locked the remaining families inside the house to prevent them from raising alarm.
Chief Nitabai’s sister-in-law, 37-year-old Akinobebh Jin, recounting the incident said alarm was raised by one of the sons as he saw the criminals enter the compound. Everybody was in a state of confusion and didn’t know what action to take.
Jin sustained minor injuries from the attack, she says the family is yet to recover from the shock.
Joint Task Force men and police officers have been deployed to the community. The road leading to Otuoke had been cordoned off by soldiers.
Police officials and other security agencies have swung into action to investigate the incident. Two suspects have been arrested so far in connection with the kidnap, as others managed to escape.
