The vigilante commandant, Kachy Ilodigwe, was reportedly kidnapped by about four gunmen in November, while returning from a church activity when the armed men double-crossed him with their car and whisked him away.
Uba, while speaking to journalists shortly after he was declared the winner of the election at the Community Civil Centre, Ukwulu, on Tuesday, said the vigilante commandant was released after the payment of the ransom.
He said it was not yet clear why Ilodigwe was kidnapped, adding that after he regained his freedom, he was attacked again and shot by gunmen few days later.
He said the commandant was currently receiving treatment in an undisclosed hospital.
The PG used the occasion to alert the state governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, and the security operatives over the increasing rate of gunmen and herdsmen attacks in the community on a daily basis.
According to him, the activities of gunmen and herdsmen in the Ukwulu community, has been in the increase.
He also called on members of the community to report any suspicious persons, movement, object as well as suspicious gathering in their neighbourhoods.
He said, “Our people, especially, the women no longer go to their farms again to avoid being raped and killed. Our people living outside the community no longer come home during festive seasons.
“There are fears everywhere in the community. As I speak to you now, the corpse of a girl recently kidnapped and murdered by the dreaded killers few days ago is still lying in the mortuary. We are calling for help.
“I wish to inform members of the community, particularly the youths, tri-cyclists and taxi drivers as well as other members of the public to be weary about the antics of the criminal elements in the area.
“Members of the community are further reminded on the need to be security conscious and report any suspicious movement and threat to peace in their place of worship, market, yard to the police or sister security agencies in the nearest security post in the area.”
Uba, equally appealed to Soludo, Zone 13 Police Headquarters, the State Commissioner of Police, Echeng Echeng, and other security outfits in the state to urgently deployed security personnel to dismantle the gunmen and killer herdsmen settlements in the area.
