The chairman of Ivo local government area of Ebonyi State, Mr Emmanuel Ajah, has confirmed the arrest of eight suspected kidnappers who killed a staff of the independent National electoral Commission (INEC), Emmanuel Igwe on Ishiagu-Mpu Road last Sunday.
The suspects also abducted the wife of the deceased INEC staff and also on the verge of escape ran into the father of the National Youth Leader of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, late Elder Ajah Okeafor and slaughtered him in his farmland while harvesting his yam.
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In an interview with journalists in Abakaliki, the council boss explained that the wife of late Igwe, has been rescued unhurt, after paying ransom to the kidnappers.
He said the kidnappers were tracked to their hideout and they were apprehended through the joint efforts of the security agencies and the internal security of the area.
“The kidnappers who killed INEC staff last Sunday and abducted his wife, and also, butchered the father of Ohaneze youth leader, Ajah Okeafor, have been arrested.
“The kidnappers include some herdsmen and some bad boys from lonkpanta community. They were tracked after collecting the ransom.
“We didn’t sleep since that incident happened, the kidnappers demanded ransom and we gave it to them.
“We tracked them to their hideout, through the joint efforts of the security agencies and my men. we have apprehended eight of them and we are still searching for the remaining two (2), who are the major kingpin,” he said.
He however revealed that the arrested gang members are allegedly responsible for the various kidnapping incident taking place in the council area, and vowed to mobilize security operatives to raid their hideout, as away, to forestall further occurrences.
The council boss called on the indigenes of the council to desist from conspiracies and every connection to commit crime as “no one will be spared”.
Ajah urged members of the community to always avail security agencies with useful security information that will lead to the arrest of the fleeing suspects that are still at large.