Troops of the special military task force, Operation Safe Haven, have arrested two suspected killers of Rev. Fr. Sylvester Okechukwu.
This is contained in a statement issued by the OPSH media officer, Maj. Samson Zhakom, on Wednesday in Jos.
The News Agency of Nigeria repots that Okechukwu, a priest of the Catholic Diocese of Kafachan, Kaduna State, was abducted on March 4, at about 9:15 p.m.
Okechukwu, who was abducted at his residence in Tachira, Kaura Local Government Area of the state, was later found dead on March 5.
Zhakom said 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 kidnap 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.
The media officer said that investigations were still ongoing to unravel the whereabouts of the remaining persons who participated in the heinous crime.
(NAN)
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