. Says alleged kidnap victim not a relative of Petroleum Minister.
A Close associate of the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke on Thursday refuted some media report that a certain Joseph Agama who was reportedly kidnapped by gunmen in Bayelsa State is the younger brother of the minister.
George Ebiegberi a close family associate of the Minister told journalists in Port Harcourt that though the reported kidnap victim shares the same surname with the maiden name of the Minister, none of the minister’s brother is missing or kidnapped as alleged in the report.
“It’s a common practice amongst the Ijaws to bear the same surname even when they are not related by blood”.
He said the minister sympathizes with the family of the victim considering the fact that she suffered a similar traumatic experience when her younger sister was kidnapped months ago.
Ebiegberi, informed that the minister has never set eyes on the victim.
