Kidnappers of President Jonathan's Father Demand's N500m As Ransom

Abductors of Inengite Nitabai, the 70-year adopted father of President

Goodluck Jonathan, have demanded a whooping N500m as ransom before the

old man can return to the family. A top security source said that the

abductors have threatened to kill the man if President Jonathan and

his people fail to produce the money.

Tension and panic had set in when the kidnappers failed to establish

any contact with the family of their victim three days after he was

abducted. That development rattled the Presidency, which reportedly

ordered for the deployment of security in Otuoke, the hometown of the

Jonathans, and the Niger Delta creeks.

The heavily armed kidnappers have finally made their demands:

"The kidnappers contacted the family four days after and demanded a

sum of N500m. It is believed that the family of the victim has begun

negotiations with the hoodlums."

The security source said the kidnappers warned against the involvement

of security operatives in the matter.

It would be recalled that gunmen abducted Nitabai on Sunday after

collecting about N400,000 from hiswife.

Also, on October 14 last year, Augusta Douglas Ayam, the sister of

Oronto Douglas, the Special Advisor to President Jonathan on Research

and Strategy, was also kidnapped in the same area.

She was released after nine days, and the Movement for the

Emancipation of the Niger Delta, said to have made accidental contact

with the kidnappers, confirmed that the Jonathan government paid

$200,000 US to the kidnappers as ransom for her release.

MEND said the kidnappers used their action to make a clear statement,

as they were disgusted at the wealth display they saw during the

burial of Oronto Douglas' father in the poorly developed town.

Anyway, the source said Jonathan's family members have constituted a

committee to evaluate the demands of the kidnappers, establish

negotiations and facilitate the release of the old man.