Jonathan’s Cousins’ Abductors Demand N50m Ransom

Two abducted cousins of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience Egbeni and Kate Eni, will be missing in action as the former President returns home. Nine days after their abduction by six gunmen in military uniform, Patience and Eni are still held hostage by their abductors. It was learnt that the gunmen, after about five days, established contacts with their families and demanded N50m ransom to set them free. The ex-President’s cousins were kidnapped at their stores along the
riverbank of Akempli, Ogbia Local Government Area, Bayelsa State. The bandits were said to have stormed the riverbank of Akempli at about 8.30am on May 20 and seized the women. The hoodlums forced their victims into a waiting speedboat and took them to an unknown destination. When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Butswat Asinim, said the victims had not been released. Asinim, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, said he was not aware of the ransom demand, adding that security agencies were still making efforts to get them freed. But a youth leader in Ogbia, who declined to give his name, said it took the hoodlums more than four days to establish contacts with their families. “They called and demanded N50m ransom. The families are still negotiating with the kidnappers,” he said.
Punch