The Ebonyi State Government has confirmed the arrèst of the Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress in the state, Mr Simbad Ogbuatu, over his alleged involvement in the kidnapp¡ng and kill¡ng of the traditional ruler of Ndufu-Alike community in Ikwo Local Government Area, Chief Francis Igwe.
Politics Nigeria reports that Governor Francis Nwifuru disclosed this on Saturday during a cond0lence visit to the family of the làte monarch.
Igwe, who is the father of a former Deputy Governor of the state, Kelechi Igwe, was abdûcted by sußpected kidnàppers and later d¡ed in their custody after reportedly sustaining injuries from physical àssault.
According to the governor, Ogbuatu came under investigation after security agencies traced a bank account allegedly used in the rànsom negotiations to him.
Nwifuru said the information linking the APC official to the case first came to his attention during a party meeting.
“During our party meeting, somebody whispered to me that the money paid was linked to the publicity secretary of the APC. I asked, ‘What?’ They said they were still investigating it, but wanted to know if they should go ahead with his àrrest. I approved,” the governor said.
He added that although he initially doubted the claim, he directed security operatives to invite the sûspect for questioning.
According to the governor, Ogbuatu allègedly admitted during interrogation that he provided his bank account details after being contacted by one of the sußpects, who was said to be his personal assistant.
The governor said the APC spokesman claimed he provided the account without knowing it would be used for rànsom payment, adding that he initially told investigators the funds expected in the account were related to proceeds from a land transaction.
“He said one of his boys, his personal assistant, called him to give an account, and he gave the account the assistant asked him to give. Later, he said the account was for money from a land sale of about N200 million,” the governor said.
Nwifuru further disclosed that security operatives later used the suspect’s phone to communicate with members of the allèged kidnàp gàng in an effort to track them down.
He said one of the sußpects eventually called the phone and accused Ogbuatu of collecting rànsom money without sharing it with the group.
According to the governor, the police instructed Ogbuatu on what to say during the conversation to lure the sußpects to a meeting point.
Security operatives subsequently laid an àmbush and àrrested members of the gàng who reportedly arrived at the location expecting to collect their share of the rànsom.
Nwifuru said the suspects later told investigators that they contacted Ogbuatu through one of their members who worked as his personal assistant.
Security agencies, he added, were continuing investigations into the circumstances surrounding the kill!ng of the monarch and the allèged involvement of those linked to the cr!me.