Ebonyi APC Secretary Arrested for Kidnapping Case

Simbad Ogbuatu, the Publicity Secretary of the Ebonyi State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was arrested over his alleged involvement in the kidnapping and subsequent killing of Chief Francis Igwe, a traditional ruler from Ndufu Alik Community in Ikwo Local Government Area. Governor Francis Nwifuru disclosed this information during a condolence visit to the family of the deceased monarch on a Saturday.

Chief Francis Igwe was the father of former Deputy Governor Kelechi Igwe. Reports indicate that Ogbuatu was under investigation by security agencies, which traced bank accounts allegedly used for ransom negotiations.

Nwifuru mentioned that during a party meeting, there were whispers about ransom payments linked to Ogbuatu. The investigation revealed that Ogbuatu provided bank account details without knowledge of ransom payments, initially claiming the funds were related to land transactions.

The police later instructed Ogbuatu to lure a suspect to a meeting point, leading to the arrest of gang members expecting to collect ransom.