DSS arrests abductors of Jonathan’s uncle

The Department of State Security (DSS) has arrested six persons, including a native doctor, allegedly responsible for Febrary last year’s kidnap of Chief Nitabai Inengite, an uncle of President Goodluck Jonathan. The Chief was kidnapped from his home town, Otuoke, in Ogbia Local Government Area, Bayelsa State and he was released after 17 days in captivity without the payment of ransom.

The kidnappers, a 48 year-old native doctor, Felix Onuoha, a 400-level student of the University of Jos, Plateau State, Eldred Jonah, 30; Ibeabuchi Inya, 29; Oreva Abridi, 29; Tammy Agbai, 29; and 32 year old Raphael Inengesi, were paraded at the DSS headquarters in Abuja.

The suspects

According to the DSS’ Deputy Director, Public Relations, Marilyn Ogar, Jonah confessed to carrying out surveillance on the victim and providing N40,000 to the gang for the purchase of arms and other logistics.

She said that the suspect confessed that gang had two teams for the operation, five persons on land and three on water, using a speedboat. Jonah however said that the motivation for the kidnap was not ransom.

Ogar said that four pump action rifles were used for the crime, and  that Inengite was whisked away in an grey coloured Honda SUV to Onuegbu waterside, from where he was moved into a waiting speedboat and taken to the creeks.

Onuoha, the native doctor, said that he provided charms to fortify the gang because he was afraid that they might harm him and his family if he had not cooperated with them.