The kidnapped Chief Inengite Nitabai, cousin to President Goodluck Jonathan, has been rescued from his abductors. He said that his captors fed him garri mixed with palm oil and made him to sleep on wet bare floor during his 21-day incarceration.
Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan’s maternal cousin, Miss Patience Agbani, survived a kidnapp attempt yesterday at Akepelai, in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
Nitabai was rescued at 12 midnight, yesterday, following a dusk operation launched by men of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad of the Bayelsa State Police Command.
Six suspects, including a chief believed to be the father of the alleged leader of the kidnap gang, were arrested in connection with the abduction.
According to the state Police Commissioner, Mr. Hilary Opara, no ransom was paid to secure the release of the septuagenarian. Nitabai was a lecturer at Rivers State University of Science and Technology.
Reliving his experience, the septuagenarian said he was blindfolded all through his incarceration and made to sleep on the wet, bare floor.
He said: “I was blindfolded. I did not see anything they were doing and didn’t know where I was. I thank God for keeping me stronger because I was sleeping on the bare ground. When rain comes it touches me everywhere.
“I am a retired lecturer from the university and I mind my own business. So I don’t know what actually made them to carry out this action on me. I was really tortured. They used their gun butts to hit my body.”
Speaking on the rescue operation, the elated Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hilary Opara, said utmost professionalism was applied by men of the state anti-kidnapping squad.
He specifically commended the family of the victim for believing in the police and other sister agencies all through their travail.
Nitabai was abducted at his Otuoke residence in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State on February 23 by 10 gunmen.
Another cousin escapes
The Joint Task Force in the Niger Delta, codenamed Operation Pulo Shield, yesterday, foiled an attempt by some unidentified gunmen to abduct the maternal cousin to the President, Miss Patience Agbani.
Agbani, aged 35, was rescued from her abductors at her business outlet at Akepelai in Ogbia Local Government Area of the state by soldiers attached to the Setraco Construction Company.
According to a community source, the lady was in her shop when she noticed strange movements and quickly alerted the JTF operatives at the construction firm who rushed to her rescue. Security, it was learnt, had been beefed up in Ogbia axis.
Confirming the development, the Media Coordinator of the JTF, Colonel Oyenma Nwachukwu, said a distress call was received from Miss Agbani by the soldiers at the Akepelai site of road construction work and rescue operation activated by the soldiers.
