The state police spokesperson, Orlando Ikeokwu said  Rev . Fr. Marcel Izu Onyeocha of Mother Theresa of Golgotha Catholic Church, World Bank Owerri was kidnapped after his vehicle developed a fault around Ihube in Okigwe LGA.

The statement read “On 11/04/21, one Bissong Isa Atugu reported that on the 10/03/21, at about 7:45 pm, while driving from Enugu to Owerri with a Nissan Exterra SUV, in the company of one Rev . Fr. Marcel Izu Onyeocha of Mother Theresa of Golgotha Catholic Church, World Bank Owerri, the vehicle developed fault around Ihube in Okigwe LGA, and as they stepped down to check the vehicle, a group of people believed to be Fulani herdsmen emerged from the bush and inflicted machete cut injuries on him, while the priest was kidnapped and taken to an unknown destination. Sequel to the above, the Commissioner of Police, CP Nasiru Mohammed, has activated all the tactical teams of the Command, with a view to rescue the priest, and possibly arrest the culprits. He however calls for calm as the Command will do everything possible to ensure the rescue of the priest.”

The attackers also razed the Imo State Police Command headquarters situated in Owerri and burnt almost all the vehicles parked at the command headquarters.

The gunmen who operated from 1 am till 3 am on Monday, freed the suspects in almost all the cells at the State Criminal Investigation Department of the command.

They sang solidarity songs at the Government House Roundabout for about 30 minutes before attacking the facilities, a security source confided in our correspondent.

On breaking into the prison facility with the aid of explosives and dynamite, the attackers told the inmates, “Go home, Jesus has risen. You have no reason to be here.”

When contacted, the police spokesperson in the state, Orlando Ikeokwu, confirmed the attacks.

He, however, assured the people of the state that the security agencies were on top of the matter.

The suspect was living in the same compound with the 11 and 9-year-old sisters he allegedly abused, the Imo State Police spokesperson, Orlando Ikeokwu, said.

The PPRO stated, “On May 13, 2020, based on a report by the mother of the victims from Nkwo Orji, Owerri North Local Government Area of the state, operatives of the Divisional Police Headquarters, Orji, arrested one Uchenna Mbahotu, 23. The complainant reported that the said Uchenna Mbahotu defiled her two daughters, aged 11 and nine. She further stated that the suspect took advantage of the fact that her family allowed the kids to get close to him as a next door neighbour to perpetrate the evil act. However, medical examination conducted on both children revealed that only one was defiled.”

Spokesperson of the state police command, Orlando Ikeokwu, said the cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained but the command was investigating the matter.

He said “I can confirm the incident to you but the cause of fire outbreak is unknown for now. The state commissioner of police has dispatched security operatives to the scene of the incident. The deputy commissioner of Police in charge of operations led the squad to the scene”