The kidnapped Permanent Secretary in the office of the Deputy Governor of Imo state, Arch Emenike Ihekwoaba who is still under captive after a month now is said to be making frantic efforts to mortgage his pension and retirement entitlements to free himself from the kidnappers den.
Information reaching Imo Trumpeta disclosed that having tried every source to raise money for the kidnappers for his freedom to no avail, the frustrated and captive technocrat had no alternative than to resort to the final effort, which is to urge his employers to couple together whatever is his retirement benefits and pay the kidnappers, since nobody is coming to his financial rescue.
Whether the process of this last resort has begun or not yet known to Imo Trumpeta.
However, sources told Imo Trumpeta that Iheakwoaba who has about two years remaining to complete his service to Imo state, is a good man and transparent civil servant who many say does not deserve the ugly omen that has befallen him now.
The Nkwerre born captive has been in the kidnappers den for nearly a month now, as his relatives run around seeking for money to meet the kidnappers demand.
Imo Trumpeta learnt that Iheokwoaba’s captives are demanding for N40,000,000 (forty million naira).
It was learnt that his relatives have manage to raise N6,000,000, (six million naira) for the kidnappers who have stuck to their guns that nothing less than N40m will make them set Iheokwoaba free.
The family, it was learnt, has resorted to prayers, while the process of computing his retirement benefits goes on.
But observers are wondering what Iheokwoaba would live on after retirement should he give his retirement benefits to kidnappers, which is not even enough to what they are demanding.
However, a source who spoke to Imo Trumpeta under anonymity denied that there is plan to settle the kidnappers with Iheokwoaba’s retirement benefits, saying that all hands have been on deck, both from the Permanent Secretary’s employers and security operatives in making sure that he was released and in one piece too.
The source went on to say that even if his retirement benefits are computed for his release, it was not enough, much less for settling the kidnappers demand.
