Kidnapped Imo Traditional Ruler’s Wife Dies After Ransom Payment

The death of a 76-year-old woman and wife of the traditional ruler of Ihitoha Uratta community, Owerri North council area of Imo State, Ugoeze Comfort Okoro in the custody of kidnappers has been confirmed by the family.

The corpse of the woman was reportedly found along a village road in Akabor community in Oguta Local Government Area of the state

It was gathered that the monarch’s wife was kidnapped before her husband and other domestic staff on Sunday, January 26 2020 barely one month after she and her husband celebrated 50th wedding anniversary.

Prince Paul Okoro, younger brother to HRH Eze Dr. Emmanuel Okoro Oha 1 of Ihitoha Uratta, who confirmed the incident described it as sad, saying the death came after the family had paid the ransom demanded by the kidnappers.

He said before the woman was taken away, there were sporadic shootings, which left the woman panicking before she was moved away.

According to him, the body of the woman was found last Sunday afternoon where it was dumped at Akabor Oguta.

He said: “On Sunday January 26, 2020, a group of boys stormed the palace here and gathered the guards and all around at point and met the Eze and wife upstairs around 8.30 pm.

“They collected everybody’s phones including that of the Eze. They took Ugoeze away. It was after they left that one of the servants came to me to call the president general of the community that the unthinkable has happened.

“We waited for a call from them. But none came until three days later when they called his daughter, who is the wife of the member, representing Owerri Federal Constituency, Ikenna Elezianya, demanding a ransom.

“Her corpse was recovered at Akabor Oguta LGA where it was dumped”.

Efforts made by our correspondent to get the reaction of the spokesman of State Police Command, Orlando Ikokwu, failed through as he could not answer calls nor responded to messages sent to his phone.

But, a member of the anti-kidnapping Unit, told our correspondent that the Police had arrested some suspects linked to the act.

He, however, said that the police would leave no stone upturned in ensuring the arrest and of the other perpetrators of the heinous crime.