Two suspected murderers of Rev. Fr. Sylvester Okechukwu have been taken into custody by troops of the special military task force Operation Safe Haven.
This was said in a statement released in Jos on Wednesday by Maj. Samson Zhakom, the OPSH media officer.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, on March 4, at around 9:15 p.m., Okechukwu, a priest in the Catholic Diocese of Kafachan, Kaduna State, was kidnapped.
On March 5, Okechukwu, who had been kidnapped from his home in Tachira, in the state’s Kaura Local Government Area, was discovered dead.
Zhakom stated that the suspects were arrested on Tuesday following a raid by troops in a settlement at the Warsa-Piti community of Lere LGA of the state.
He stated, “The suspects were arrested following a raid on the prime suspect’s hideout located at a Ruga settlement in Warsa-Piti community, following a raid by troops in a settlement at the Lere LGA of Kaduna State.
During preliminary investigation, the prime suspect, a 33-year-old man, confessed to having been contracted by another man, living in the same house as the slain priest, to abduct him.
He added, “Troops in a follow-up operation arrested the suspect at Agwan Sarki, Tachira in Kaura LGA.
“The suspects are in custody undergoing further interrogation,” he said.
According to the media officer, investigations are still being conducted to find out the hideouts of the remaining persons that participated in the horrible acts.
(NAN)
