The kidnappers of Chief Inengite Nitabai, President Goodluck Jonathan’s uncle, have allegedly rejected the N30 million offered by his family as ransom for his freedom.
As stated by a source, the abductors had contacted the victim’s family four days after he was whisked away demanding a whooping sum of N500 million as ransom to set him free.
Another source said the distressed Nitabai family instead offered to pay his abductors N30 million, which they rejected.
"They (the kidnappers) rejected the N30 million offer, which they described as laughable coming from a family linked to the president," the source stated.
A security source confirmed the development, saying: "We are aware that the family is negotiating with the kidnappers and they are demanding N500 million, which the family described as outrageous. They instead offered to part with N30 million, which the kidnappers were said to have rejected. They said it was ‘unpresidential’ to give such a paltry sum to them. What will N30 million amount to when shared by all the interested parties in the abduction."
When the State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Alex Akhigbe, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), was contacted, the DSP said he was not aware of the demand. He, however, disclosed that its operatives deployed in the creeks are making progress in their search for the kidnapped chief.
Nitabai was kidnapped on Sunday, February 23, by unknown gunmen, suspected to be 10 in number, in his private Sport Utility Vehicle to a yet-to-be-ascertained destination.