Abducted vigilante commandant regains freedom in Anambra

The Commandant of the vigilante group in Ukwulu Community, Dunukofia Council of Anambra State, Kachy Ilodigwe, has been released by his abductors after one month in hostage.

Ilodigwe was returning from church service last month when about four armed men double-crossed him with their car, and kidnapped him. It was gathered that he regained freedom after payment of N5 million ransoms.

The newly elected President General of Ukwulu Town Union, Christopher Uba, made the revelation, yesterday, at the Civic Centre, Ukwulu, while fielding questions from newsmen after he was declare winner of the election.

According to Uba, the commandant was released after the payment of N5 million ransom, but wondered why this is the second time Ilodigwe will be attacked by hoodlums.

“It is not clear why Ilodigwe was kidnapped, and few days after he regained his freedom, he was attacked again and shot by gunmen. He is currently receiving treatment in an undisclosed hospital,” he said.

Uba noted that he alerted the state governor, Prof. Charles Soludo, the police and the general public on rising cases of gunmen and herdsmen attacks in the community.

He added: “The activities of gunmen and herdsmen in Ukwulu has been on the increase. Our people, especially women, don’t go to their farms anymore to avoid being raped and killed.

“Our people living outside the community no longer come home during festive seasons. There is fear everywhere in the community. As I speak, the corpse of a girl recently kidnapped and murdered is still in the mortuary. We are calling for help.

“We equally appealed to Soludo, Zone 13 Police Headquarters, the state Commissioner of Police, CP Echeng Echeng, and other security agencies in the state to urgently deploy security personnel to dismantle gunmen and killer herdsmen settlements in the area.

“I wish to inform members of the community, particularly, youths, tricycle and taxi operators, as well as other members of the public to be wary of the antics of criminal elements in the area.”

He, however, called on members of the community to report any suspicious person, movement, as well as gatherings in their neighbourhoods to police, insisting that people need to be security conscious.