Kidnapped monarch’s wife found dead after ransom payment in Imo

The late Okoro was abducted at the family home in Owaelu Uratta in the presence of her 80 -year –old husband.

The corpse of the kidnapped woman was reportedly found along a village road in Akabor community in Oguta Local Government Area of the state after 17 days in captivity in the hands of her abductors.

It was further gathered that the deceased was kidnapped on January 26, barely one month after she and her husband celebrated their golden jubilee wedding anniversary and the 80th birthday of the monarch.

When our correspondent visited the palace of the royal father at Owaelu Uratta in Owerri North Council, his younger brother, Paul Okoro confirmed the incident and described it as sad.

He stated that the death came after the family had paid the ransom demanded by the kidnappers.

According to him, the kidnappers had stormed the palace, shooting sporadically into the air to scare away people before the criminals took his brother’s wife away to an unknown destination.

Paul revealed that the body of the woman was found last Sunday afternoon where it was dumped at Akabor Oguta.

“On January 26, a group of armed men stormed the palace and gathered the guards including everyone around at gun point and met the traditional ruler and his wife upstairs around 8.30 pm.

“They collected everybody’s phone including that of the monarch before they took away the king’s wife. It was after they left that one of the servants came to me to call the president general of the community that the unthinkable thing has happened.

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

READ ALSO: Security meeting: What IGP told South East Gov

“A search team was dispatched to identify the corpse earlier reported to us by a Good Samaritan. On getting there, her corpse was recovered at Akabor Oguta Local Government Area where it was dumped,” the monarch’s brother narrated.

Spokesman for the state police command, Orlando Ikokwu failed to respond to calls made by our correspondent and also failed to respond to text messages sent to him.

However, a member of the anti-kidnapping unit confirmed to our correspondent that the police have arrested some suspects involved in abduction and murder of the monarch’s wife.

Hevowed that the police would leave no stone unturned in ensuring the arrest of other perpetrators linked to the heinous crime.