Police arrest LP candidate ‘who hired assailants to kill PDP chieftain’ in Ebonyi

The Ebonyi police command arrested four suspects over the alleged killing of Peter Nweke, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ward chairman, in Ezza north LGA of the state.

The PDP chieftain was allegedly beaten to death during the March 18 governorship and state assembly elections in the Ebonyi.

Speaking at a press conference on Friday in Abakaliki, the capital of Ebonyi, Onome Onovwakpoyeya, police spokesperson in the state, said one of the suspects is a Labour Party (LP) house of assembly candidate.

She said the suspects — Kelechi Nwali, Onyebuchi Chita, Aloke Obinna, and Ifeanyi Nwokpuku — were arrested on March 28.

The police spokesperson explained that 21 persons have also been declared wanted in connection with the crime.

“Sequel to the dastardly act, the commissioner of police, CP Faleye S. Olaleye, tasked all police officers in the command to fish out all those responsible for the killing,” the police spokesperson said.

“Consequently, on March 28, four suspects were arrested in connection with the death of Mr Peter Nweke.

“During the interrogation of the suspects, the first suspect, one Kelechi Nwali, male, a Labour Party house of assembly candidate, Ezza north constituency, confessed to hiring the assailants who were meant to torture the victim, however, he died in the process.

“According to Nwali, the late Peter Nweke posed a threat to his political ambition, so he contacted one Akwasi, a male, of Nnachi Umuezeoka in Ezza north, who spear-headed the torture that eventually resulted in the death of Mr Nweke.

“The second suspect, Onyebuchi Chita of Nkomoro community, confessed to having brought in the killers from Nkomoro into the Ogboji community where Peter Nweke was killed.

“The third suspect, Aloke Obinna of Ogboji community, confessed to having given his motorcycle to one Onyebuchi Chita for escape after the incident.

“While Ifeanyi Nwokpuku, fourth suspect of Ogboji community, all in Ezza north, conspired with one Sampson Nweke, male, who pointed Peter Nweke out to the killers.”

Onovwakpoyeya added that the suspects would be arraigned in court at the end of the investigation.