President
Goodluck Jonathan yesterday directed security agencies to rescue Prof. Kamene
Okonjo, the kidnapped octogenarian mother of Finance Minister Ngozi
Okonjo-Iweala.
Dr. Jonathan has returned to Abuja after
the funeral of his younger brother, Meni, in Bayelsa State.
A massive manhunt for the kidnappers, who
were yet to contact the family as at 7.30pm last night, has begun. In the
battle to rescue Mrs Okonjo are the police, the State Security Service (SSS)
and the Intelligence units of the Armed Forces.
The family is said to be worried over the
fragile health of the retired Professor of Sociology.
The Ministry of Finance was virtually
shut down as a result of the incident.
The Minister relocated to Delta, it was
gathered.
“We might not have been able to establish
motive, but it is a clear case of kidnap,” police spokesman Frank Mba told AFP,
adding that “the police have already launched a massive manhunt for the
perpetrators of the crime.
A source said: “The SSS, the police and
Intelligence units of the Army, Air Force and Navy are all involved in the
efforts to locate Mrs. Okonjo.
“We are still trying to identify where
the old woman was taken to by the fleeing suspects. We will try our best to
rise to this challenge.
“The President has directed all the
security agencies to rescue the victim in a tactical manner to avoid being
hurt.”
A police source in Delta said a crack
team of detectives from Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, has been
deployed in Delta to track the kidnappers.
The source, who pleaded not to be named
because of what he called the sensitivity of the matter, said: “The kidnappers
are yet to get in touch with the family. We are awaiting their call. I am quite
sure that they will soon reach out to the family.
“The security agencies are liaising with
the family to get some clues and also give an update on their efforts. But the
family prefers a low-profile approach to the rescue operation.”
The Okonjo family is said to be worried
about the health of its matriarch.
Another source said: “For quite some
time, the health of the aged mother of the minister has been fragile. And this
gives a serious worry to the Minister because she was not allowed access to her
drugs before she was kidnapped.
“The situation is tense in the family
because of fears that her health might deteriorate.”
Responding to a question, the source
added: “We are anxious about her health. That is why the family has been
unusually quiet. We want to leave this issue out of the media as much as
possible, until the situation is sorted out.
“It is quite harrowing and emotionally
challenging. If you can keep this off the media, we will appreciate it. That is
why all the aides of the minister and associates are not picking calls. The
emotional trauma is too much.”
Early yesterday, activities at the
Ministry of Finance were virtually paralysed.
An official of the ministry said: “We
were all devastated; we could not work effectively because the woman has been
hardworking and highly reform-oriented. It is sad that the mother of such a
patriotic Nigerian could suffer this kind of fate.”
Sources in Delta said Prof. Chukuka
Okonjo, the Obi of Ogwushi-Ukwu, the husband of the kidnapped mother of the
minister, has been “a difficult Very Important Person (VIP) to manage for the
police.”
He is believed to have rejected all
entreaties for security detail to be provided for him and his wife.
He is also opposed to the activities of
the vigilance group in his palace, it was gathered.
When he travelled to Nasarawa, where he
was at the time of his wife’s kidnap on Sunday, he is believed to have timed
down the police’s attempt to provide him an orderly.
The Minister set her worries aside and
reported for work in her office yesterday – although briefly. She received some
guests and made telephone calls.
An official of the ministry said: “Since
she came to work today it is likely she was in Abuja at the weekend when the
news of the kidnapping broke.”