A Native doctor, and five other suspects have been arrested by the Department of State Security in connection with the kidnap of President Goodluck Jonathan’s uncle, Chief Nitabai in February 2014.
The incident which occured in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa was said to be masterminded by a 400 level student of the University of Jos, Eldred Jonah.
His accomplices include Raphael Inengesi, 32; Ibeabuchi Inya,29; Oreva Abridi 29; Tammy Agbai,29; and a native doctor, Felix Onuoh,48.
DSS spokesperson, Marilyn Ogar said Jonah financed the operation by providing N40,000 to obtain weapons and procure other equioment necessary to carry out the operation.
Ogar said the prime suspect had confessed to monitoring the movements of the President’s uncle and planning the kidnap.
She said, “The victim was held captive at two different locations within Bayelsa State in the creek of Brass, very close to the ‘mouth’ of the Atlantic Ocean and Okigbene creeks.
“Following a security operation by this service, he was released after 17 days in captivity without payment of ransom. Investigation into the incident eventually led to the arrest of the six suspects in Bayelsa, Delta and Edo States.”
Ogar said Tammy Agbai, an undergraduate at the University of Port Harcourt provided the car that was used in the operation, and said Jonah told him the car was for use in a burial ceremony, without letting him know of his intent to kidnap.
The native doctor, Onuoha said he provided the charms for fortification to the kidnap gang under duress as he was afraid they would harm him and his family.
He said, “Abridi came with three men and said they want juju for business success which I did for them. They later said that was not what they wanted, that they wanted to kidnap someone and wanted charm for protection.
“The moment they said that, their faces changed and I was afraid that if I don’t cooperate with them, they may harm me and my family because I was with my family at the time, so I agreed to help them and I asked them to pay me 10 per cent of the ransom.”
