Police Arrest Patience Jonathans Cousin for Attempted Murder

TRACKING_____The Police in Bayelsa State have arrested Mr. Victor Oba, a cousin to a former first lady, Patience Jonathan, for attempting to kill his ex-lover, Seigha Atia.

Oba, who is the Manager of the first lady’s hotel, Aridolf Hotels and Spars, was said to have hit his 23-year-old ex-lover with his Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) damaging her left leg beyond treatment.

Oba, who was apprehended and taken to the Azikoro Police Station, was said to have left the girl for dead and zoomed off after engaging in the violent act.

It was learnt that influential persons were mounting pressure on the police to release Oba and sweep the matter under the carpet through bargaining for settlement, but the police had insisted on ensuring justice for the victim.

Doctors and at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Yenagoa were having busy schedules battling to save the life of Atia, who was said to be in shock when she was told her leg would be amputated to save her life.

A visit to the hospital revealed that Ati was in critical condition as she screamed intermittently in pains with blood dripping from her swollen leg.

Narrating the incident, the victim said: “On the day of the incident, we had an argument and he called me and asked me to come outside of our gate to get the rest of my things in his car. He said he was driving to our area at Ox-Bow Lake to come and give me my things since I was no longer interested in the relationship.

“He eventually showed up. He came down from his car, reached for the passenger seat, opened the door brought out two bags and handed them over to me. I opened the bag and I figured out my things weren’t complete, and I told him some of my things were not there and that I would come and pick up the rest of my things.

“At this point, he started screaming saying he would not want to see me close to his house. But I insisted I would come to take other things he did not bring to me.

“At this point, he was already in his car. He started raining abuses on me calling me unprintable names. I couldn’t take it. So, I responded. The next thing, he drove his car into me with speed. He hit me against our gate, held me there and did not reverse his car despite the fact that I was screaming in pains.

“He later reversed and I fell to the ground and he zoomed off. My neighbours, who watched what happened screamed for help and came to my rescue.

“This relationship lasted for four months. But I decided to quit when I discovered that he was a violent person. He had hit me once, that was when everything started to take a nosedive.

“I can’t walk for now, probably I will never walk with this leg. They would have amputated this leg earlier today. But they referred me to a specialist hospital in Port Harcourt. They want to see whether something could still be done and it must be done very fast before it gets to my knees”.

She added: “I’m devastated, but I’m fine, i will rise above it. I feel bad, I didn’t think someone could go this extreme”.

Also speaking, her sister Preye, begged the police to handle the matter with utmost professionalism despite the personalities involved in the interest of justice.

Preye described the action of Oba as unimaginable saying it was inconceivable to visit such violence on her sister.

“She said: “We are still shocked. We cannot believe this is happening at the same time I’m tired. I have not slept, am still exhausted.

“I was in the house when I heard a bang on the gate. I felt it was just someone who normally hits the gate or something, then I heard voices, and I knew my sister went out and I saw her on the floor, blood on her leg, I just ran to her, I was screaming, I just picked her up and luckily she was conscious.

“She told me Victor was responsible for what happened to her. The witnesses around there said he hit her and zoomed off. They had a misunderstanding; he insulted her then she responded, then he hit her, that was what eyewitnesses said.

“I don’t have so much confidence in the Police because of who the guy is. They called us and tried to settle, but we cant accept such settlement because right now my sister is at the verge of having her leg amputated.

“We want justice. This was an attempted murder, we want justice, we want things legally done the right way”.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Asimim Bytswat, confirmed the incident.

He said the suspected had been arrested for attempted murder and would be transferred to the Criminal Investigations Department of the Police Command.