Niketas is only mentioned by the "De Administrando Imperio", a work compiled in the middle of the 10th century by Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos. According to it, he was the son of Ioube (Ἰούβη, a Hellenized form of Ayyub). Along with his older brother Chase (Hasan) he was a slave of the "patrikios" Damian, the "parakoimomenos" of Emperor Michael III, implying that they had been captured as prisoners of war during a conflict with the Arabs around the middle of the 9th century or shortly after. It is unclear whether they came alone or with their father; it is possible that they came to Byzantium as children, and that Niketas was even born there. Chase remained a Muslim in Byzantium, but Niketas, whose original Arab name is not recorded, was apparently baptized a Christian.