The gunmen who kidnapped the cousin of President Goodluck Jonathan, Chief Inengite Nitabai, have rejected the N30million ransom offered by the family.
According to a security source who spoke under the condition of anonymity, the kidnappers dismissed the offer as too small, saying it fell far below their expectations when they were preparing to launch the kidnap.
“The family offered them N30milion but the kidnappers turned it down and laughed it out as a big joke”, the source said. “The leader of the gang sounded rigid and mean. They said they would not collect such small money from someone close to the president”.
He revealed that the kidnappers had specifically targeted Nitabai because they felt that as the president’s cousin, they would be rewarded with a hefty ransom.
Despite ongoing negotiations over the ransom, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) has warned security agencies and family members of Nitabai against paying the kidnappers.
The group held a meeting at the Ijaw House, after which it expressed confidence in the ability of the three-man committee it set up to work with security agencies to free the septuagenarian.
“IYC would not glorify kidnapping by paying ransom to the perpetrators. With the efforts so far made by the committee, Nitabai will soon be set free by his assailants”, spokesman of IYC, Eric Omare said.
“In consonance with the position of the IYC, we have advised the relevant persons not to offer any ransom in order to effect the release of Mr. President’s uncle, because if we offer ransom we are encouraging more kidnapping.
“IYC’s position is that criminality must be erased from Ijaw land, so we have told them not to offer any ransom. Though he has not been released, we are very sure in the next few days or hours, we would effect his release”.
Chief Inengite Nitabai was abducted 10 days ago by gunmen numbering about 10, who broke into his house in Otuoke, Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. The armed men laid siege on the sprawling compound located just before Otuoke Bridge, off Otu-Okpoti-Ogbia Road at about 9pm, and without a single gunshot identified their target, who has been acting like President Jonathan’s father since the passing on of his biological father.
Five of them had broken into the house heavily armed, before barking orders to everyone and robbing their victim’s in-law of N400,000. They sped away with a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) belonging to the victim, which they later abandoned to escape through the waterways.
Hordes of security operatives are reported to have been ransacking Otuoke and surrounding creeks but their efforts have so far been futile. The kidnappers had demanded a ransom of N500m from family of the victim three days after the kidnap, and threatened to murder him if the sum is not paid.
