Residents of Ishiagu in Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State have been left stunned following the arrest of two sisters, Mrs. Juliet Chukwu, a Civil Defence officer, and Mrs. Ngozi Nancy Chukwu, an officer of the Nigeria Immigration Service, over allegations of orchestrating the kidnapping of their elder brother, Mr. Friday Chukwu, and another victim, Engr. Igwe Denis Chibueze. The shocking revelations have triggered outrage and widespread calls for justice.
Mr. Friday Chukwu was abducted along the Enugu-Port Harcourt highway in June 2025, and was reportedly released only after the payment of a N30 million ransom. Community members were appalled when investigations pointed to his own sisters as the masterminds. “This is not just a family betrayal; it’s a dent on the integrity of the uniformed services,” said Mr. Chika Oti, a community leader in Amaeze, Ishiagu.
Barely weeks later, on Monday, July 14, 2025, Engr. Igwe Denis Chibueze, the Community Liaison Officer of China Oriental Quarry Company, was similarly kidnapped along the same route, with a demand for N10 million. Stakeholders in the company, working with security operatives, rallied and coordinated a trap that led to the arrest of the suspects at a hotel where they were caught sharing the ransom money.
Security sources allege that the sisters have long been linked to criminal activities plaguing the area, including collusion with suspected Fulani herders to stage kidnappings, theft of railway materials, and vandalism of oil pipelines. “These are not first-time offenders. The level of coordination and confidence they display shows they have operated unchecked for long,” said an officer involved in the arrest.
Human rights advocates and community stakeholders are now urging the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Immigration Service to immediately suspend the suspects and ensure a thorough, impartial investigation. “We demand that this case not be swept under the rug like many others. Disciplinary action must accompany the legal process,” said Barr. Chinelo Nweke, an Enugu-based rights lawyer.
Of equal concern is a growing fear of alleged interference, as the arrested sisters are said to be in-laws to the national spokesman of the Department of State Services (DSS), Dr. Peter Afunanya. “We call on Dr. Afunanya to remain neutral and allow due process to take its full course,” said Chief Mathias Ogbu, a former Ishielu local government staff. “This is a test of our justice system, and the nation is watching.” GMTNewsng
