5 Policemen Arrested For Aiding Suspected Kidnapper

Five policemen in Ebonyi state police command have been arrested and are currently facing trial for allegedly aiding the escape of a suspected kidnapper, Ogonna Alioka (a.k.a Pilot) and three other suspects arrested for various offences, New Telegraph reports.

Alioka was a driver that conveyed his gang to the house of a 65-year-old woman in Egba Amaonya Ishiagu, Ivo local government area of Ebonyi state, Mrs. Catherine Okorie on 18th January 2017.

The gang kidnapped the woman, demanded N10 million ransom but later killed her and buried her in a shallow grave in a thick forest at Lokpanta, Abia state for identifying one of them. 

Fourteen suspects were later arrested in connection with the kidnap and murder of Okorie with Alioka at large.

However, chicken came to a roost on 4th August 2017 when he was arrested by the state Anti-kidnapping gang.

He was paraded by the police command and he confessed to being the one that conveyed the gang for the crime and named two other prime suspects; Ndubuisi Chukwu and Papa(real name unknown) who have been at large.

Alioka was not arraigned until 2:am of 22nd October 2017 when he escaped from police detention at the Ebonyi state Police headquarters,

Abakaliki.

Three suspects escaped also escaped on that early morning. Five policemen were on duty when the suspects escaped.

Briefing journalists in Abakaliki yesterday on the matter, the Commissioner of Police, CP Titus Lamorde n “after his arrest, Ogonna was helping the police to arrest the two other gang members who are at large but unfortunately, on the night of October 22, policemen of the state CIID on Cell/Counter duty negligently allowed the escape of kidnap suspect, Ogonna Alioka and three other suspects of various offences.

“He is a wanted person. Since that day, we have been making efforts to ensure that these people are arrested. I know time is limited for them, they will surely be arrested. We have already spread our tentacles all over to ensure that these four people are arrested and I am assuring members of the public that no stone will be left unturned in terms of tracking down these people.

“We have sent our men and some of them are in neighbouring state looking for the suspects because we heard a hint that one of them is around that place and by the grace of God, soonest we will call you and paraded those people that escaped.

“We will continue to do our best to ensure that security is maintained. We are still investigating to know who actually allowed these people to escape. We have five policemen in detention, we have initiated disciplinary actions against them, their trail is ongoing and also investigation is ongoing. The outcome of the investigation will give you more information about this issue.

“It is only investigation that can actually prove who aided the escape of the four suspects. But all the policemen on Counter duty on that day were arrested, detained, defaulted and tried in an orderly room. They are still undergoing trail”