The chairman of Ivo local government area in Ebonyi State, Mr Emmanuel Ajah, has officially confirmed the arrest of eight individuals suspected of being involved in the killing of an Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) staff, Emmanuel Igwe, on the Ishiagu-Mpu Road. The suspects had also abducted the deceased’s wife and, in their attempt to escape, tragically encountered and murdered the father of the National Youth Leader of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, late Elder Ajah Okeafor, who was peacefully harvesting yam on his farmland.
During an interview with journalists in Abakaliki, the council chairman provided insight into the incident. He revealed that the wife of the late Igwe was successfully rescued unharmed after the payment of a ransom to the kidnappers. The chairman expressed his gratitude to the joint efforts of security agencies and the internal security personnel of the area for their role in tracking down and apprehending the kidnappers at their hideout.
According to Mr Emmanuel Ajah, “The kidnappers responsible for the killing of the INEC staff and the abduction of his wife, as well as the brutal murder of the father of the Ohaneze youth leader, Ajah Okeafor, have been apprehended. Among the arrested kidnappers are individuals affiliated with the herdsmen and certain notorious individuals from the Lonkpanta community. After the ransom was paid, we traced them to their hideout through the collaborative efforts of security agencies and my team. Currently, we have detained eight of them, and we are actively searching for the remaining two, who are believed to be the major masterminds.”
The council chairman further disclosed that the apprehended gang members are believed to be responsible for several kidnapping incidents that have been plaguing the local government area. He vowed to mobilize security operatives to raid their hideouts in order to prevent future occurrences.
Mr Emmanuel Ajah appealed to the residents of the council area, urging them to refrain from involvement in any criminal activities or conspiracies, as “no one will be spared.” He called upon the community members to proactively provide security agencies with relevant and valuable information that could aid in the arrest of the remaining fugitives who are still at large.
The arrest of the eight suspected kidnappers represents a significant breakthrough in addressing the growing issue of insecurity in the Ivo local government area. The collaborative efforts of security agencies and the proactive measures taken by the council chairman highlight the commitment to maintaining peace and security within the community.