The body of a cousin to former president Goodluck Jonathan, Mr Samuel Oki, abducted along with the foster father, Chief Inegite Jonathan, was today found floating on Otuoke River in Bayelsa State.

Armed gunmen suspected to be kidnappers had on Wednesday abducted 72-year-old Chief Inegite Jonathan, but the kidnap of the young Samuel Oki was not noticed until several hours later.

Fishermen in Otuoke community today discovered the decomposing body of Samuel, raising fears about the safety of the 72-year-old Chief Inegite, whose whereabouts is still unknown.

A family member of the deceased, Mr Igbogamini Paul, said after the kidnap, they heard a gunshot but never knew that it was the said relative that was shot by the kidnappers.

He expressed sadness over the incident, adding that the death of Oki, aged 35, was painful to the family.

The villagers were seen discussing the sad incident in hushed tones in their native Ogbia language. According to them, native divers and local fisherman recovered the body and anchored it by the riverside to prevent the body from being carried away by water currents. The body had been deposited at a morgue in the area.

Meanwhile, sympathisers have been visiting the Otuoke residence of the abducted chief located within the neighbourhood of the former President’s country home in Otuoke.

The kidnappers are yet to establish any contact with the family of their hostage since Wednesday.

Bayelsa Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Asini Butswat, confirmed the incident and said that the police were trailing the kidnappers.

“On 17th February, 2016, at about 03.30hrs, seven unknown gunmen abducted one Inengite Nitabai at his residence in Otuoke, Ogbia Local Government Area. A massive manhunt have been launched by a combined team of Marine Police and Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Command, to rescue the victim and arrest the abductors. Investigation is ongoing,” Butswat said

Nancy Dickson, 26, younger sister to Gov. Seriake Dickson abducted in December 2015 has been in her kidnappers' den for over 50 days now despite an ultimatum given by the governor to the kidnappers to free her.

The Governor had in his first tenure in office signed the anti-kidnapping law which prescribes death sentence for kidnapping but no one has been convicted under the law.

•Photo shows Ex-President Jonathan.

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