The dead body of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s nephew was found floating along a creek in Otuoke today, according to witnesses. The deceased, Mr. Samuel Oki, was 35 years old and was abducted along with Mr. Jonathan’s foster father Inegite Jonathan on Wednesday.
Armed gunmen, suspected to be kidnappers, abducted the 72-year-old Inegite Jonathan on Wednesday, but the kidnapping of Mr. Oki was not noticed until several hours later.
The discovery of Mr. Oki’s decomposing body by Otuoke community members has increased fears for the safety of the 72-year-old victim whose location is still unknown.
The villagers who were seen discussing the sad incident speculated that the young man tried to resist the kidnappers. Some said that they heard a gunshot on Wednesday, as the kidnappers were believed to be fleeing through the waterways.
According to them, 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 since Wednesday’s abduction.
This is the second time Mr. Inegite Jonathan has been kidnapped. On February 28th, 2014 he was kidnapped and later freed by security forces on March 10th, 2014.
One local resident described the 2014 experience as “traumatic” and that Mr. Jonathan had been beaten and kicked by his abductors.
Asinim Butswat, the Bayelsa State Police Public Relations Officer, confirmed the incident and said that the police were trailing the kidnappers.
“On the 17 February, 2016, at about 3:30am, seven unknown gunmen abducted one Inengite Nitabai at his residence in Otuoke, Ogbia Local Government Area.
“A massive manhunt has been launched by a combined team of Marine Police and Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Command, to rescue the victim and arrest the abductors. The investigation is ongoing,” Mr. Butswat said
Nancy Dickson, 26, the younger sister to Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson, was abducted in December 2015 and has been held captive for more than fifty days.
The Governor had, in his first term in office, signed the anti-kidnapping law that prescribes a death sentence for kidnapping. Despite this there have been no convictions and kidnappings continue to thrive in the State.
