My Ordeal In The Hands Of Kidnappers Was Traumatic - Presidents Jonathans Foster Parent

Chief Inengite Nitabai

“It was traumatic,” said the man set free for the first time in weeks. In the first hours after his release from kidnappers, Chief Inengite Nitabai, the 70 year-old foster father, and uncle of President Goodluck Jonathan, shared his ordeal for the first time, while he was in the hands of his kidnappers before newsmen. Nitabai, who described the experience as ‘traumatic,” said he was beaten repeatedly with the butt of a gun, and kicked violently on the floor for days on end, by his abductors. Nitabai, was reportedly abducted by 10 gunmen while at his home in Otuoke, on February 28th.

He told reporters the armed men tied his hands behind his back, blind-folded him, and tortured him over that time. This was done in order to make him convince the President, and other family members, to pay up the ransom they demanded. This revelation confirmed that ransom may have been paid on Thursday to secure his freedom. A release which police had been celebrating. “I thank God for keeping me alive. I was made to sleep on the bare floor, and fed with Garri, and red oil for three weeks in the bush,” he said. I was tortured and beaten with a gun butt, and kicked at on the floor ”When I was young, there was no such things as kidnapping (in Nigeria.”) I don’t know why, it must be me,” Nitabai said. The State Police Commissioner, Mr. Hilary Opara, presented Nitabai to journalists. He said the special squad of the anti-kidnapping division of the command led by Chris Nwogwu, secured the release of the septuagenarian. According to the commissioner, the kidnappers  abandoned their victim at Ogboma, off Odioma, in the Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa. Nitabai was later found by the squad, and brought to the state police command in Yenagoa for debriefing. SR.