Remains of relation abducted with Jonathan’s foster father recovered in Otuoke creeks, Bayelsa

Gov. Dickson

The dead body of a nephew to former president Jonathan abducted along with the foster father Chief Inegite Jonathan was on Friday found floating at Otuoke creeks witnesses say.

Armed gunmen suspected to be kidnappers had on Wednesday abducted 72-year-old Chief Inegite Jonathan, but the kidnap of the young man was not immediately noticed until several hours later.

Members of Otuoke Community on Friday discovered the decomposing body of the nephew to the former president raising fears on the safety of the 72 year old victim whose whereabouts remain unknown.

The villagers who were seen discussing the sad incident in low tones in their native Ogbia language believe that the young man aged about 35 may have tried to resist the kidnappers.

They said that they heard a gunshot on Wednesday as the kidnappers were fleeing through the waterways.

According to them, native divers and local fisherman had recovered the body and anchored it by the riverside to prevent the body from being carried away by water currents.

The body has been deposited at a morgue in the area.

The kidnappers have yet to establish contact with the family of their hostage sinc Wednesday.

It will be recalled that Chief Inegite was kidnapped in February 28 2014 in his house and was freed by security forces, at Akipli Community in Ogbia on March 10, 2014.

Nitabai had described the 2014 experience as ‘traumatic said he was beaten with gun butt and kicked on the floor by his abductors.

He said the armed men tied his hands, blind folded him and tortured him in order to make him convince the then President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and other family members to pay up the ransom demanded.

“ I thank God for keeping me alive. I was made to sleep on the bare floor and fed with Garri and red oil for three weeks in the bush.

“I was tortured and beaten with guns and kicked with legs on the floor

”When I was young, there was no such things as kidnapping.I don’t know why it must be me,” Nitabai said.

Asini Butswat, (DSP) Bayelsa Police Public Relations Officer, confirmed the incident and said that the Police was trailing the kidnappers.

“On the 17 February, 2016, at about 0330hrs, seven unknown gunmen abducted one Inengite Nitabai  at his residence in Otuoke, Ogbia Local Government Area.

“A massive manhunt have been launched by a combined team of Marine Police and Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Command, to rescue the victim and arrest the abductors. Investigation is ongoing,” Butswat said

Nancy Dickson, 26, younger Sister to Gov Seriake Dickson abducted in December 2015 has been in the kidnappers den for over 50 days despite an ultimatum given by the governor to the kidnappers.

The Governor had in his first tenure in office signed the anti kidnapping law which prescribes death sentence for kidnapping but no one has been convicted by the law while the menace thrives.