Alex Otti, the governor of Aia State, has revealed how the kidnappers of the Deputy Vice Chancellor of the Abia State University Uturu, Professor Godwin Emezue, were arrested.
Otti made the disclosure while responding to a question during a media parley with newsmen at the weekend.
The Governor said the leader of the gang was picked up at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos while trying to board a flight to Turkey.
He said that the second mastermind was later nabbed in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
According to the Governor, the two had since been returned to Abia State to answer for their crimes.
Professor Emezue who was kidnapped at a petrol station Umuahia where he had gone to buy fuel with his wife in January was released after spending nearly one month in captivity.
Otti said that the arrest was made possible by the efforts of the Operation Crush, a joint security team set up by his administration which is yielding the desired results in rooting out criminals.
Governor Otti who was responding to an inquiry on how he was spending his security vote, further explained that he had been utilizing security votes of his office to secure the state in line with his campaign promises.
He said that the cost of maintaining lives and safety of Abia residents have been financially high and assured of his sustained efforts to that effect.
Responding to a question on whether he would accept members of the opposition parties in the state to LP if they decamp, Governor Alex Otti said that the doors of the Labour Party would not be closed against the members of the opposition party who wish to cross the carpet.
Governor Otti noted that “a political party is like a church organization where one cannot stop somebody who has come to worship from entering”.
He, however, explained that “the good governance being enjoyed by the people of the state cannot be changed or negatively affected by the entrance of people from the opposition political parties.”
Otti said he would not stop anybody willing to join in the efforts to rebuild Abia State.
