Police in Imo State say they have arrested a suspect over the kidnap and murder of a Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Cyriakus Onunkwo, a native of Osina, Imo in 2017.
Imo police spokesman, Orlando Ikeokwu, said in a statement on Saturday that Charles Nnanna was arrested on February 16 at Aji in Oru East Local Government Area of Imo State by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) arm of the police during his traditional wedding ceremony.
The suspect is alleged to have led a gang that kidnapped the priest on July 1, 2017, when he returned to the village to bury his late father.
The cleric was killed and his body discovered a day later at Omuma, Oru East Local Government Area of Imo.
Police said they arrested all suspects allegedly connected to the murder except Mr Nnanna who reportedly fled to Indonesia.
The police spokesman said Nnanna’s arrest followed ‘credible intelligence’.
Nnanna, according to the police, has confessed to the crime as well as his role in the incident.
Also, Mr Ikeokwu said that on February 22, the Command received a distress call around Umudim, Umutanse Village in Orlu LGA, that some armed men abducted a man named, Tobias Ugo, and also took away his Toyota Camry car.
Chinonso Nnaemeka, 27, of Umutanse Village, Orlu LGA, the statement said, has been arrested by SARS operatives.
Mr Nnaemeka was said to have led police officers to where Ugo’s corpse was kept with machete cuts. The vehicle was also recovered.
Police said they are making efforts to arrest other members of the gang.
