Two cousins of President Goodluck Jonathan were reportedly
kidnapped on Wednesday by armed men dressed in military
camouflage in the Akimpelai Community of the Ogbia Local
Government Area, Bayelsa State.
Six unidentified gunmen stormed Patience Egbeni and Kate
Eni’s provisions store at about 8.30am on Tuesday seizing the
women, according to reports. The assailants then forced their
victims into a speedboat taking them to an unknown location.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Butswat Asinim, provided a
statement at the scene of the crime saying, "the gunmen were
dressed in military camouflage. They went to provision stores
of the victims at the riverside and abducted them into a
waiting speedboat"
Both the marine and anti-kidnapping squads of the police,
including the Joint Task Force (JTF), authorized a joint rescue
mission called Operation Pulo Shield.
According to an eyewitness identified as Kingsley, "The
victims are two maternal cousins of the President [Jonathan].
We know that they have been preparing to welcome the
President after the May 29 handover. Unless they are rescued
before then, their dream of welcoming their brother will be a
mirage."
Disturbed by the incident, the Ogbia Clan of the Ijaw Youth
Council (IYC) Worldwide, asked the kidnappers to release the
women with immediately.
The Chairman of the clan, Osaanya Osaanya, said no ransom
should be paid for the freedom of the victims,"We are calling
on the kidnappers to as a matter of urgency return those
innocent women. We will go after them if they refuse to heed
our call. We will assist security agencies to make sure that
those poor women are released with immediate effect.”
