Finance Minister’s mother, Professor Kamene Okonjo, kidnapped from husband’s palace in Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State

Posted by admin General Politics, Top Stories, Women Politics Monday, December 10th, 2012

By Emma Amaize, Kingsley Omonobi, Austin Ogwuda & Festus Ahon

ASABA – Gunmen, yesterday, raised the stake when they abducted the mother of
the Minister of Finance, Prof. Okonjo-Iweala, Professor Kamene Okonjo, in
Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State.

Okonjo-Iweala’s mother, 82, who is the wife of the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku
Kingdom, Professor Chukwuka Aninshi Okonjo Agbogidi, was kidnapped yesterday at
about 1:30 pm at the husband’s palace in Ogbe-Ofu quarters by eight gunmen who
stormed the palace in two Audi 80 cars.

It was gathered that the kidnappers had easy access to the palace as the
policeman expected to be on duty was absent. The kidnappers, therefore, held all
the workers carrying out renovation work at gunpoint. One of the suspects was
said to have gone upstairs and picked the bag of the Obi’s wife while the woman,
who was sitting under a tree after serving the workers some soft drinks, was
whisked away.

DeltaStatePolice Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Charles Muka, in his
reaction said: “Yes, we (police) have got the information on the kidnap and we
have also got information that will lead to the arrest of the hoodlums.”

According to a dependable source, the woman who is a medical doctor and a
professor was pushed into one of the Audi cars and driven to unknown
destination.

The source, who pleaded anonymity, said security agents had been drafted to
the palace.

A senior police officer in the state, who pleaded anonymity, however, said
massive manhunt had commenced to rescue the Queen of Ogwashi-Uku.

Uduaghan asks security agents to smoke out kidnappers

Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan ofDeltaStatehas urged the police and other
security agencies to track the kidnappers and free Okonjo-Iweala’s mother within
24 hours.

A source said: “The governor fumed when the kidnap was reported to him and
said the boys must be tracked down wherever they are hiding at all cost.”

Police on trail of kidnappers

The state Commissioner for Information, Chike Ogeah, who spoke to
Vanguard described the kidnap as “very unfortunate.” He said he had
spoken to the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ikechukwu Aduba, and it was clear that
the police were on top of the situation.

His words: “I had just spoken to the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ikechukwu
Aduba, and he assured that the police would get the kidnappers.

Gbagi, Elumelu react

Former Minister of State for Education, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi, told
Vanguard: “It is sad and regrettable that we are playing cosmetic
politics with the lives of people in Delta state. The incidence of kidnapping is
an embarrassment to any government that is worth its onions.

“That Okonjo-Iweala’s mother has been kidnapped is an embarrassing news
across the world and I wonder what the government is doing about this situation
in the state.

“People are now fleeing from their homes in the state because of the fear of
kidnappers. I will ask my brother and governor of the state, Dr. Emmanuel
Uduaghan, to pay more attention to the menace of kidnappers in the state and
stop treating the matter with kid gloves.

“InDeltaState, there are more soldiers and policemen than any other place and
sometimes, you begin to wonder what they are doing with all these brazen
crimes.”

Ndudi Elumelu, member representing Aniocha/Oshimili federal constituency,
said: “It is totally condemnable. It is high time the state government signed
into law the maximum punishment for kidnappers.”

The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Mohammed Abubakar, was said to have
called Delta State Commissioner of Police immediately he was informed of the
incident and said there should be massive deployment of intelligence and
anti-kidnap personnel backed up by anti-terrorist personnel.

The police boss in his reaction said no stone should be left unturned towards
ensuring her release unharmed. The IG then assured that everything would be done
to rescue her hale and hearty. He also explained that no time frame would be
given for her release as this might jeopardise her safety.

Meanwhile, there was no reaction from either the Presidency or the Minister
of Finance at press time.

It is difficult time for the family -Finance Ministry

The Federal Ministry of Finance in a statement yesterday bythe Special
Adviser to the Coordinating Minister for theEconomy and Minister of Finance,
Paul Nwabuikwu said”at this point, it is difficult to say whether thosebehind
this action are the same people who have made threatsagainst the Coordinating
Minister in the recent past orother elements with hostile motives. No
possibility can beruled out at this point.

This is obviously a very difficult time for the entireOkonjo family. But the
family is hopeful of a positiveoutcome as it fervently prays for the quick and
safe returnof the matriarchwp_posts