By CHIDI NKWOPARA
OWERRI—Palpable confusion and apprehension reigned supreme as the
remains of a community leader at Eziali, Mgbidi, who was reportedly
kidnapped by hoodlums and later buried alive, was exhumed.
Vanguard investigations revealed that the gunmen, who eventually
turned out to be assassins, abducted their victim on December 27, 2012,
and nobody heard from him or knew where he was kept until his lifeless
and decomposing body was exhumed after the arrest of the perpetrators of
the beastly act.
It was also gathered that the deceased had a land dispute with one of
his kinsmen (names withheld), who eventually hired about five assassins
and charged them to execute the operation.
A villager, who was at the scene of the exhumation, told Vanguard
that “the five-man gang abducted their victim from his home and buried
him alive at Ozara, a neighbouring village in Oru West local council
area of Imo State”.
The story changed when the hoodlums asked for N30 million ransom from
their victim’s family, who quickly informed the police, as well as
played effectively along with the criminals and under the watchful eye
of the security personnel.
“The money was dropped at an agreed spot and a policeman feigned
madness and was patrolling the vicinity but when one of the suspects
came out to pick the money, he was shot on the leg and arrested by the
supposed mad man. He confessed to the crime,” the villager recounted.
When contacted, the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Baba Adisa Bolanta,
confirmed that the confessional statements of the hoodlum led to the
eventual arrest of other members of the gang, including their alleged
sponsor.
All the villagers that spoke to Vanguard on the crime, passionately
appealed to the police to ensure that justice was done in the matter,
adding that it was the only thing that restored confidence in the
security agencies.
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