The Commissioner of Police, Ebonyi State Command, Titus Lamorde has confirmed reports that four notorious kidnap suspects have escaped from detention in Abakiliki, the state capital. The Commissioner of Police who made the disclosure in a chat with NAN identified the suspects as Ogonna Alioke, Friday Nwangbo, Emeka Nwangbo and Ekene Omenyi.
He stated that the suspects were arrested after they kidnapped and killed one Mrs. Catherine Okorie at her residence in Egba-Amanye community in Ivo Local Government of the state. He added that the suspects had demanded N10 million ransoms from the family of the victim before killing her.
He explained that the suspects escaped from detention on October 22, 2017 due to negligence of officers detailed to provide physical security at the facility. According to him “The five officers on duty that period are currently in detention assisting in investigations which is the only way to actually ascertain those that aided the escape. The insinuation that a top politician in the state masterminded the escape is unfounded and we assure the public that we will get to the root of the matter.”
He assured that efforts were ongoing to facilitate the re-arrest of the suspects.
"We are assuring you that they have limited time to be arrested. Our investigators are currently working assiduously toward that. Some of them are presently in a neighboring state and we have information on where one of the escapees is currently hiding”
Meanwhile, the relatives of the victim have accused the Police of complicity in the escape of the suspects. One of the family members who craved anonymity disclosed that the family has already petitioned the Inspector General of Police and will take the Police to court if the suspects are not produced and charged to court.
