Violence in Ubomiri: Man Arrested for Stabbing Father-in-Law to Death Amid Dispute
Operatives of the Imo State Police Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit have made significant arrests, capturing a suspected kidnapper and a man accused of murdering his father-in-law.
In a press statement released by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Henry Okoye, the police announced that the operation, which led to the arrest of suspected kidnapper Ozioma Dike, followed an intelligence-gathering mission. The unit launched the operation on January 16, 2025, targeting a kidnapping syndicate in a forest near Agwa, Oguta Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.
Dike was apprehended after a gunfire exchange between the police and the suspects, who fled into the nearby bush. From the suspect, police recovered a pump-action rifle loaded with seven live rounds of ammunition and an iPhone believed to belong to a victim kidnapped on January 8, 2025, in Ubomiri, Mbaitoli LGA.
During questioning, Dike confessed to being part of a group responsible for multiple kidnappings in communities across Ubomiri, Ogbaku, and Ohii, all within Mbaitoli LGA. Efforts are now underway to apprehend the remaining gang members, with Dike remaining in police custody until he is arraigned in court.
In a separate incident, the police also arrested a 40-year-old man, Uchenna Okpara, for allegedly stabbing his father-in-law, Uchenna Unakalamba, to death in Ubomiri, Mbaitoli LGA. The tragic incident occurred following a minor dispute involving the children of both men. In the heat of the argument, Okpara attacked Unakalamba with a broken bottle, leading to fatal injuries.
Police responded to a distress call, apprehended Okpara, and recovered the weapon used in the attack. Despite being rushed to the hospital, Unakalamba was confirmed dead. Okpara remains in custody, awaiting further investigation and subsequent prosecution.
DSP Okoye assured the public of the police command’s unwavering commitment to tackling kidnapping and other criminal activities in the state.
