Former President Goodluck Jonathan’s cousin, Samuel Oki, who was abducted alongside the former leader’s uncle and foster father, Chief Inegite Jonathan, was on Friday found dead by fishermen in Otuoke, Bayelsa State.
Premium Times reports that relatives confirmed that the body of Oki, aged 35, was found floating on Otuoke river, two days after the abduction.
Asini Butswat, the police spokesperson for Bayelsa State, told the newspaper that report of the incident has reached the Police, but could not immediately give details of what transpired. He however said he was working to get briefings from the Divisional Police Officer in charge of the area.
It would be recalled that armed gunmen had on Wednesday kidnapped 72-year-old Chief Inegite Jonathan, but the abduction of Oki was not immediately noticed until several hours later.
Fishermen in Otuoke community on Friday found his body already decomposing, this raised fears about the safety of the former president’s 72-year-old uncle, whose whereabouts was still not known by Friday afternoon.
According to the report, Igbogamini Paul, a relation of the deceased, said both men were kidnapped on Wednesday.
Mr. Paul added that a gunshot they heard during the abduction may have targeted at Mr. Oki
Villagers revealed that local fishermen found the body and kept it by the riverside to prevent it from flowing away.
Consequently, sympathisers have been visiting the Otuoke residence of the abducted chief located within the neighbourhood of the former president’s country home.
The kidnappers have remained silent and have not established any contact with the family of their victims since the abduction.
