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Another Of President Jonathan’s Relatives Escapes Kidnap Attempt

A daring kidnap was averted in Ogbia today, as a gang suspected to be involved in several abductions was thwarted in another attempt. The target was another relative of President Goodluck Jonathan. The attempt occurred, ironically, on same day Jonathan’s uncle, Chief Nengite Nitabai was set free.

A daring kidnap was averted in Ogbia today, as a gang suspected to be involved in several abductions was thwarted in another attempt. The target was another relative of President Goodluck Jonathan. The attempt occurred, ironically, on same day Jonathan’s uncle, Chief Nengite Nitabai was set free.

The Joint Task Force (JTF) in the Niger Delta on Thursday said it foiled the  kidnap incident in Ogbia Local Government Area in Bayelsa. Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, Media Coordinator of the JTF who presented the kidnap victim, Mrs. Patience Agbani, said she was rescued by JTF troops. The dramatic news was presented to reporters on Thursday. The Colonel  attributed the feat to the timely information received from the victim. Nwachukwu urged members of the public in distress to contact the Headquarters of the JTF on their special telephone number, 0803 220 2684, for prompt intervention.

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In the re-telling of her ordeal, Agbani said that the kidnap gang numbered six, and had trailed her on Wednesday night. The trailing led to a high speed chase on foot, and they chased her until she ran into a building that was under construction where she hid.  From there, she placed a distress call to JTF. According to Agbani, the police reaction was prompt, and timely. Their response led to the JTF troops to confront the would-be kidnappers, who were compelled the kidnappers to retreat.

The six are still at large.

“When I closed my shop at after 9pm on Wednesday night, (and just) as I crossed the road, I noticed that the six boys were following me in a very suspicious way,” she said, “and suddenly they started pursing me.”

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“I ran into an uncompleted building, and (then) called the JTF, who arrived almost immediately.”  In a dramatic re-count, Agbani added that, “the kidnappers were looking for me but ran away, once seeing the soldiers arrive. That was how they rescued me,” Agbani said.

Agbani who said that her mother, and President Jonathan’s mother are first cousins, expressed appreciation to the security agencies for their swift intervention and rescue.

It was later learned that a “princely sum’ was paid as ransom undercover to free Nitabai, that day. Police believe that may have emboldened the gang to target another relative of the president.  

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