Posted by Sola Adebayo, Warri on
Two political office holders in Uvwie Local Government, Delta State have been arrested by the state police command over alleged murder of the former Principal Administrative Officer of the council, Mr. Patrick Origbe.
Two political office holders in Uvwie Local Government, Delta State have been arrested by the state police command over alleged murder of the former Principal Administrative Officer of the council, Mr. Patrick Origbe.
The suspects (names withheld) were elected into the council under the platform of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party.
Origbe was assassinated by unidentified gunmen at 8:30 p.m on Friday, June 3, at Ekpan in the council area.
Our correspondent learnt that the deceased, who had been transferred to Ika East Local Government, was recalled to Effurun, headquarters of Uvwie Local Government Area, to complete succession formalities before his tragic end.
Our correspondent learnt that the arrest of the two principal officers of the council was sequel to a statement made to the police by a relation of Origbe, which reportedly implicated them.
The command's Commissioner of Police, Mr. Udom Ekpoudom, in an interview with our correspondent on Wednesday said preliminary investigation revealed that Origbe was killed because of his perceived closeness to the council's boss, Mrs. Evelyn Oboro-Ojakovo.
Uncertainty pervaded the council before Origbe's murder due to political crisis between the executive and legislative arms of the local government.
It was learnt that the no love lost between the two groups had paralysed government activities in the council as 12 of the 24-member legislative arm continued to stay away from office.
However, Ekpoudom said the suspects were arrested by his men on Wednesday last week and were being interrogated in connection with the murder of Origbe.
He said more arrests would be made in a concerted effort to fish out Origbe's killers and bring the suspects to book.
Our correspondent however gathered that a woman who was with Origbe before he was killed had been released by the police.
She is also an employee of the council.
Meanwhile, Ekpoudom paraded two armed robbery suspects before newsmen, shortly before the meeting of the State Security Council in Warri on Wednesday.
The suspects, who were arrested in Warri, according to the police boss, came from Isoko area of the state.
The Punch, Thursday June 23, 2005