Police recover AK47 rifle, human skull in shrine

The Imo Police Command, has declared Mr Chidera Njoku, a native doctor, wanted after recovering 90 rounds of AK47 Rifle and human skull in his shrine.

The Commissioner of Police in Imo, Mr Chris Ezike, made this disclosure while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Owerri.

Ezike said that through a calculated community policing and whistle blowing, the police raided the shrine at Ngor Okpala Local Government Area of Imo and recovered a human skull as well as AK47 rifle.

He said that the police were still trailing the suspect, who had been on the run since his shrine was raided, promising that he would soon be apprehended.

The police commissioner warned that Njoku, now on the police blacklist, should not be harboured by anybody, but called for a useful information that would lead to his arrest.

In another development, Rev. Fr. Charles Nwachukwu, who was rescued from his abductors by the command, has narrated his ordeal while in captivity with his abductors.

Nwachukwu told NAN that he was made speechless, helpless and that they traumatised him for two days before he was rescued.

NAN reports that Nwachukwu was kidnapped on June 16 by four armed men in Nwangele Local Government Area of Imo and he was rescued after two days.

“I was in transit along Umuokpo Agbaja in Nwangele Local Government Area when four armed men abducted me under gun point.

“My experience with the kidnappers was terrible and it will remain in my mind; I am yet to recover from the shock,” he said.

Nwachukwu said the gang demanded for N100 million as ransom but later withdrew N500 thousand from an ATM card in his custody.

The police commissioner said that the victim was rescued with an aid that led to his rescue in Umuokpo forest, Nwagele Local Government Area of the state.

He said that when the issue was reported, some policemen were mobilised from the command, who went after the bandits and rescued the man unhurt.

“The police have gone digital and it is now almost impossible to carry out kidnapping successfully in Imo.

“Our value system has died; I see it as a sacrilege for anybody to think of kidnapping a priest,” he said.

NAN reports that one of the suspects, Chinedu Odoemena, confessed to the crime but implored the government to give him a second chance.