Nigeria: Son of former prime minister, now vocal supporter of incumbent president, kidnapped

Nigeria: son of former prime minister kidnapped

ABUJA, Nigeria — Nigerian police say kidnappers have taken the son of the nation’s first prime minister.

Police spokesman Moshood Jimoh told The Associated Press on Sunday that kidnappers seized Jamil Balewa. Jimoh said he had no other details about the kidnapping.

Balewa, 60, is the son of Tafawa Balewa, Nigeria’s first prime minister who was killed in the country’s 1966 coup.

He also is an organizer of a group called “Goodluck Nakowa,” which supports President Goodluck Jonathan’s possible bid in next year’s presidential election. Jonathan has yet to say whether he’ll run.

Kidnappings have grown increasingly common in Nigeria, an oil-rich country of 150 million people where most live on less than $1 a day.