By Charles Igbo
Former Governor of Imo State, and now the Senator representing Imo West, Rochas Okorocha, said he suffered the worst humiliation of his adult life on Sunday, December 26, 2021.
His son-in-law, Uche Nwosu, was arrested by dozens of Security Operatives on Sunday while he was at the outing Thanksgiving Service at St Peters Anglican Church of his mother, Mrs Jemimah Nwosu; who was buried on December 22, 2021.
Okorocha said the manner of Nwosu’s arrest was nauseating. He said in the process, they humiliated his whole family.
He lamented that his wife, Nneoma, former First Lady of Imo State, was pushed to the floor while his daughter, Uloma, Nwosu’s wife, was stripped and his clothes torn. He said his son-in-law, Nwosu, was dragged into a bus, his dress torn.
Okorocha holds Governor Hope Uzodimma responsible, and said Uzodimma’s hatred for him stinks to high heavens.
Okorocha, who spoke from his house in Owerri said Uzodimma wants to frame his family over the spate of insecurity in the State, and reminded Imolites that last week, Uzodimma had said he would, on January 3, 2022, name those behind the insecurity in the State.
He wondered what his son-in-law was arrested for, and what he is being framed of.
Even though he said the Commissioner of Police in the State, who he said he had called, confirmed to him that the Inspector General of Police, IGP, knew of the operation, Okorocha insisted Nwosu was arrested without any warrant of arrest. He said he also called the IGP, but that the IGP’s phone was switched off. Nwosu was arrested like a criminal, he lamented.
Okorocha: “It was the worse humiliation in my life.
“My wife was pushed down and my daughter’s clothes were torn into pieces by the policemen who came into the church to arrest Uche Nwosu without a warrant of arrest.
“I want to know the offence my son in-law has committed that they rough-handled him, because I’m yet to be informed.
“I have called the Inspector-General of Police. His number was switched off. I have called the Commissioner of Police. He said the order came from above.
“Uche Nwosu, my wife and daughter were at the Church for an outing service when a group of men in police uniform, while sermon was on-going, started shooting.
“In the course of their activities, they pushed down my wife and they tore my daughter’s clothes. No warrant of arrest. No invitation.
“We suspected kidnapping at first. Many people were injured while running. Uche Nwosu was dragged into a bus carrying Imo State Government number.
“They were identified as Policemen from Imo State Government House by their colleagues attached to Uche for the burial. I got the CP who said that IGP approved his arrest.
“The shock of such arrest without warrant and humiliating members of my family is unfortunate. Most security operatives in Imo know nothing about the arrest.
“I don’t know what they framed him up for. IGP could only do this on a high level misinformation from Hope Uzodimma.
“Over one hundred gunshots to arrest Uche Nwosu. What kind of a ruthless behavior on innocent citizen of Nigeria?
“Hope Uzodimma has shown tremendous hate to me and members of my family. Lawmakers who attended the burial were suspended.
“I am waiting to hear the offence of Uche Nwosu. Recall that Hope Uzodimma said he is going to name sponsors of insecurity in Imo State on January 3.
“I Know he has nothing to offer than to cook up a story. Last time he ordered my arrest and one security officer ordered me to enter the pickup vehicle.
“Uzodimma wants to frame me up by all means. Uzodinma has to answer for most of the activities going on.
“Uzodimma must mention the names of those who are responsible for insecurity in Imo State or he should be held responsible for all the killings in the state.
“Uzodimma has framed up something against Uche Nwosu. Buhari should be informed about what is happening in Imo State. Hundreds of citizens are been killed in this state.
“What is happening in Imo State is under-reported. What is happening in Imo is bad.
“How come it is only Abuja and Imo Government House that know about the arrest? Everybody knows that Uche Nwosu can’t hurt an ant.
“I want to know the reason for the attack on a Church, why Uche Nwosu should be treated like a criminal and Imo Government should provide answers immediately. You can’t be a governor by intimidation.
“Hope Uzodimma deceived Abuja for the arrest of Uche Nwosu. Hope Uzodinma is 1,000 percent responsible for the arrest.
“Using diversion for his non- performance can’t work. It Is either Uzodinma, or is the IGP or the Governor of Imo? I don’t even know the whereabouts of Uche Nwosu.”
But the Imo State Government has accused Okorocha of incoherence and contradiction.
Addressing the Press at the Government House, Owerri, on Sunday, Commissioner for Information, Declan Emelumba, said Okorocha was only whipping up sentiments but said such will not save him. He pointed out that while Okorocha said the IGP knew about Nwosu’s arrest, he still turned round to accuse Uzodimma of being responsible for it. “He is incoherent”, Emelumba said.
He also said that in Okorocha’s shoes, he would wait for Police investigation, pointing out the mayhem in Orsu where many people were killed, including a Traditional Ruler, and their bodies dumped in a pit.
But he quickly added that he was not associating Nwosu’s arrest to it.
Emelumba: “All he wants to do is to whip up sentiment among Imo citizens, but he has failed.
“If Uche Nwosu is arrested, what he (Okorocha) should do is to wait and see why he is arrested.
“But he is talking incoherently, and that will not save him.
“What he should do is to wait for the law to take its course.
“All of you went to Orsu and saw the carnage there. I am not saying he is linked to the incident.
“You also witnessed his statement during his mother-in-law’s burial where he invited the youths to protest.
“All these are evidence of his incitements in the State.
“The Government has no hand in the arrest of Uche Nwosu, but any attempt by Okorocha to use it to cause panic is evidence of guilt and that cannot save him.
“Okorocha has contradicted himself when he said that the Commissioner of Police told him that the order came from the Inspector-General of Police and at the time he said that the arrest was ordered by the Governor.
“This shows that he is speaking inconherently and that cannot save him.”
For now, tension reigns in Imo State and Nwosu’s arrest has taken the centre-stage of discussion.
