By ALVAN EWUZIE
Strong reasons emerged last night to show that the kidnap of Prof. Kaneme Okonjo, mother of Finance Minister and Coordinating Minister of the Economy Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala may have been geared towards instilling fear into the minister and distract her from carrying out reforms in the economy and the oil sector in particular. Reports that the kidnappers have made contacts and demanded $1 billion ransom are clear pointers that the abduction may well be connected to a threat received by the minister last month when she was told to slow down on her thorough check on subsidy payments or face dire consequences.
Unconfirmed reports that the abductors have contacted the family and tabled a request of a whopping one billion dollars seem to weave a link between the kidnapping and the subsisting threat.
In his immediate reaction to the incident, a Senior Special Assistant to the Minister, Mr. Paul Nwabuikwu, said in a statement, “at this point, it is difficult to say whether those behind this action are the same people who have made threats against the coordinating minister in the recent past or other elements with hostile motives. No possibility can be ruled out at this point.”
Okonjo-Iweala’s mother who is the wife of His Majesty, Professor Chukwuka Aninshi Okonjo Agbogidi, the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku kingdom in Delta State, and a professor of medicine, was kidnapped on Sunday at about 1:30 pm from the husband’s palace at Ogbe-Ofu quarters in Ogwahi-Uku by eight gunmen who stormed the palace in two Volkswagen Golf cars.
The demand for a $1billion ransom, according to source, was relayed to the family of the woman yesterday, but this could not be confirmed. In the wake of the fuel subsidy scam, the minister is known to have put her feet down on thorough scrutiny of claims by marketers before payments will be made.
At the end of the day, the Federal Government put the money fraudulently paid to marketers in the oil subsidy scam at N232.2 billion. Minister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala, made the disclosure on Monday, December 1 in Abuja at a press conference held on the ways of reinvigorating the country’s ailing capital market. According to the minister, following the submission of the report of the Presidential Committee on the Verification and Reconciliation of Fuel Subsidy Payments headed by Access Bank boss, Aigboje Aig-Imokhuede, out of the N1trillion claims verified, it was established that N232.2billion was paid to fraudulent oil marketers.
Noting that N29 billion due to the fraudulent marketers was held back by the government, the minister said the government would begin the payment of genuine claims starting from December with a view to averting man-made fuel queues which have been on since the issue of payments to oil marketers cropped up within the petroleum industry.
In the absence of political abductions in this clime, the tendency is that the minister may well be seeing the manifestation of the threats issued her by disgruntled elements whose fraudulent means of feeding fat through dipping hands into the public till is being stopped.
The onus is on security agents to unravel the abductors and bring them to book.
This is why people dont sacrifice to work for this country. Just because she is determined to get it right they went after her tru the most precious thing she has, (her mother). I ask who will save this nation called NIGERIA ?
The old lady is either still in the area of their village Ogwuashi Uku or is in Anambra by now. The entire Delta North should be searched for any conspirators and police should be searching Asaba and cross ove r to Anambra. These criminals know the punishment is not severe, and even still the Judges will accept bribes. Why is Delta state a South South state joining the league of Kidnappers? The Judiciary is impotent under a moron of a governor. Even Ibori would not stand for this, he would have fought back. Uguaghan a meek Itsekiri boy is not up to the job. PEOPLE STAY AWAY FROM BELTA , ANAMBRA, ENUGU, ABIA, EBONYI ,IMO, AKWA IBOM, RIVERS, BAYELSA and EDO states in the South and all the NORTHERN tates where Boko Haram operates. It appears the only area where their is a serious response to crime is the South West. This means Nigeria is a land of Terrorism, 419, Corruption and Kidnapping. Definitely a third world country.
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Kidnappers, well done. Go after the leaders stealing our money. This woman, she is a big thief (oil subsidy scam). That may change their mentality on how to run Govt.
Wagod, where has this woman gone wrong to justify the kidnap of her 82 year old mother – Prof of medicine, may be her effort to recover fraudlently paid subsidy money.
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Which reform she dey carry out? How many people have been convicted for embezzling mind blowing sums! NONE @ all. This administration is WEAK and will continue to play us.
And the Sun and other media organizations should stop giving credence to the cheap excuses by this fat govt officials. Motive of the kidnappers is now an issue because the Victim is minister mama. Nigeria is imploding – simple
Words of the elders could never be relinguished to the back drop. one saint can never live in a harmlet of wolves. frankly speaking this kidnap action was perpetrated by the mighty black hands destroying nigerias economy. however martin lurther king fought for not only the unity and revalation of hope of blacks in america but enphacised that the at the end the battle is won. I ENCOURAGE . YOUR EXCELLENCY , CORDINATING MINISTER OF OUR ECONOMY. to be calm. the hands holding your mother host now is cut by the holy spirit. she shall be released quickly but all her abdultors shall serve many years in detention. its well with you. your enemuies shall fail. watch out.
Wagod you are too stupid. People who have limited education should try to protect their ignorance from the public. How is the woman involved with oil subsidy? Her daughter is fighting hard to nail the people, and you are here castigating yourself. A retired professor, married to another retired professor, doesn’t your empty head tell you that this couple has put so much in our country. While one, the sociologist battled to make your society better for you, the other sought to save your health by curing your disease. Now they have lent their well-trained daughter to help you secure your life and your money, and yet your stupid self is ungrateful. I swear that you are a kidnapper. Idiot. Go to school my friend and make a proper distinction between your savior and your killer. This is a savior family.
@Umunna:
What has the retired professor, married to another retired professor done for their local community of Ogwashi-Uku? How has the sociologist and the health worker cured the guinea-worm epidemic in Anioma area of Delta State? You are the stupid of them all.
Their well-trained daughter, Ngozi is useless to Delta State and Nigeria. When she worked for Obasanjo, she earned her salaries in dollars. That unpatriotic crapaud.
Ass kissers like you think that a PhD means everything. She is dumb, that why she didn’t get World Bank president Job.
NUHU I BELEIVE YU CAN NEVER BE LIKE THEM. A PROF MARRING A PROF HER DUG MINSTER AND DR ALL HER CHILDERN ARE MADE PLS TELL UR FAMILY MEMBER TO LET THE WOMAN GO SHE IS A QUEEN BEFORE THE gods OF DAT LAND WILL DESENDED ON YOU PEOPLE.
Nonsence, be it whatever motive its a sight to behold when dogs eats each other up. They should hurry up with the payment so that the old woman can come back home on time.
In case you are one of the kidnappers, let it be known to you that your arrest will happen and no money will be paid. Imagine the cheek. No one must reap what they did nit sow.
She kept her children in USA but allowed her parents to stay in Ọgwashi-Ukwu.
No she did not! The parents can afford to leave anywhere they want. At their age, the village (Ogwashiukwu) I guess is the ideal and the best place they will prefer to leave. Get it…!
Na lie o,there is nothing like subsidy pple doing dis,their sin is catching up wt dem,they refuse to give pple job nd Naija pple ve secured one for themselves,it remain mama jonathan nd their British nd American trained Bufallos called children
It is well Okonjo iweala . . .this is the price we must all pay for the recklessness of Northern Military regimes and corrupt politicians . They created the kidnappers that took your mother. We know you are trying to remedy the rot you met in Govt. My prayers are with you , Prof Kanene would be found with or without ransom. Keep up the sacrifice Madam minister! We know your worth.
why pple are using poverty, unemployment etc to justify evil? Look, no magnitude of pauper,lack of job etc are justifiable for one to indulge in any form of crime. Mark my word, they wil be caught soon and no ransom wil be paid.
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Jobless & heartless idiots. Off course i said it yesterday that the adoption was Political & Ransome.
any person that is supporting this heinous crime of kidnapping a ground mother at the age of 82 should be punished.even IF SHE the president mother ,there is no justification what so ever.This woman has given her best and her progeny is out to save our destroyed economics and god forsaken idiots are out to derail her.This is a big challenge on nigeria security agent.PLEASE SAVE THIS INNOCENT WOMAN.God will not 4give u guys if any harm befall this woman.
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Governor Emmanuel Uduagha should wake up to his responsibilities. He should stop Oil Bunkering & looting of Delta State fund & provide adequate security for Delteans.
what made God to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah was not up to 1/10 of what is happening in Nigeria.
FELLOW CITIZENS! LET US TALKING MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING.THE GOVERNMENTAL SECTORS THAT THREATENED THE OKONJO IWEALA OVER THE SUBSIDY ISSUE SHOULD BE ARRESTED FROM THE CRADLE. NO ONE SHOULD BE TREATED AS A SACRED COW OVER THIS ISSUE. WHERE HAS THE MINISTER WENT WRONG THAT WILL WARRANT HER AGED MOTHER TO BE KIDNAPPED? MY PRAYER IS THAT MAY GOD USE THIS TO FISH OUT THOSE THAT COMMINGLED IN THE ABDUCTION OF THE MINISTER MUM.
$1 billon for ransom? who will pay/ maybe from FGM an dthat will be the money ment for road fixing. – FEDECO -
No matter what come may, the old woman will be found. Why these idiots can’t go for these senators? I be dey won die?
We Nigerians are deeply with you and ur family in prayers … You will be the victor at last.
I pray for her quick rescue in Jesus name.
The idiots that kidnapped that Grand Mum are not mere kidnappers but those who are out to undermine Ngozi’s resolve to do the right thing and possibly get her angry to resign and go back to U.S.How can over 8 heavily armed men storm the palace for an old woman.This country should be turned upside down by Security Agencies till we find this good mum-a Professor of Medicine,my God we don’t have respect in this country.This 82 Year old grand Mum is even more educated than her Daughter and silent all these Years even with Ngozi’s exploits in the World.
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Those kidnapper will get nothing at the end ….
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THOSE IN POWER SHOULD FEEL THE PAINS TOO. EDRIS BEEN SING AM NIGERIA JAGA JAGA.
MAKE THEM KIDNAPP FROM GEJ MAMA TO ALL GOVERNORS, FEDERAL LAW MAKERS AND EVEN SOME DGs AND ACCTANTS OF VARIOUS SECTORS.
NONSENSE LEADERS, LEADERS OF DOOM. IF BOKO HARAM WILL LEARN TO BE POLITICAL AND NOT RELIGIOUS SOME OF US WILL GIVE THEM SUPPORT.
Things are still not clear because the real enemy usually cashes in, in situations like this and in the end the substance of the matter will still not be known. My take is let them not hurt the prof because she has done nothing wrong by being the mother of a minister who talks as if she wants to do things right but ends up doing nothing. Let the prof go, let her go.
@ John Friday, please send personal email to me via, oduspetro@yahoo.com. Your needs shall be met by God’s grace.
Kidnappers, please let go the Grand mummy for God’s sake.
TRUE NIGERIANS WILL APPRECIATE IWEALA… KIDNAPPERS, U HV NO HIDING PLACE/ ONE BAD INVESTMENT U PEOPLE HV VENTURED INTO.
At some point all appointed and elected officials will have at least 20 policemen attached to each of them. Then we will not even have any policeman to serve the common man. In essence, the State Police that the authority are running away from will be granted. The country called Nigeria needs restructuring. It cannot continue like this. While the masses are crying daily, the rich will also cry. Unitary system will never work for a developing nation that inhabits 160 million people. We need more devolution of power, Competition among Federating States, State Policing with different models and strategies, Technology Update, etc.
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