- Police investigates former Gov, as Imo Govt. orders arrest
Former Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, now Senator representing Imo West senatorial district in the National Assembly, may have resolved to draw battle line with Governor Emeka Ihedioha and the Imo State Government over the efforts to the state government to retrieve government chains of government property allegedly in his possession. The former governor was alleged to recruited thugs who now guard his residence in the state to prevent Imo State officials from having access to his residence or taking away any property. This culminated into the beating of government officials who were on official duty and on property recovery assignment at the resident of the former governor in the state by his purported thugs. Apparently, the former Imo State Governor may be have allegedly recruited his own security personnel to resist the Imo State Government officials from performing their duties, leading to the state government ordering Okorocha’s arrest by Imo indigenes whenever he is seen in the state. The Imo State Police Command had also commenced investigations into the assault on the state official while on duty.
National Daily gathered that the Imo State government issued order to citizens of the state to arrest former Governor Rochas Okorocha after an alleged beating of Jasper Ndubuaku, head of the property recovery task force in Imo State while on official duty at Okorocha’s resident.
National Daily also learned that the Secretary to the Imo State Government (SSG), Uche Onyeaguocha, issued the directive for the arrest of Okorocha following the alleged assault of Ndubuaku, Chairman of the Recovery of Government Properties, at Okorocha’s residence.
Onyeaguocha had declared that the Imo State government has placed Okorocha on security watch, appealing to Imo citizens to arrest him and alert the government whenever they find him in the state.
Reports indicated that a video trending online last Thursday captured some people beating Ndubuaku at Okorocha’s residence on Spibatt Avenue, Owerri.
National Daily learned that the Commissioner of Police in Imo State, Rabiu Ladodo, acknowledged the citizen’s arrest order on Okorocha over the assault of the state official on duty. The Police Commissioner was said to have assured that the police would arrest Senator Okorocha for prosecution whenever he is in Imo State.
Ndubuaku was said to have narrated that he was beaten at Okorocha’s residence and thrown into a gutter, adding that he was first held hostage for some hours in the presence of security men assigned to Okorocha’s residence.
The Property Recovery Chairman disclosed that the Task Force secured a court order to search the former governor’s residence.
“We got a court order to recover stolen properties kept in Okorocha’s house and when we got to his house on Thursday, armed thugs attacked us.
“There are 20 government vehicles in his house, four Speed Boats, one movable Crain and generator sets, which we went to recover before the incident.
“We will not give up the battle, we will go back to his house because the property belongs to Imo government,” he had declared.
The media aide to Okorocha, Sam Onwuemeodo, was said to have admitted the assault on the Imo State government official but explained the attackers were sympathisers of the former governor and passersby. He had argued that the task force was on illegal operations, pointing out that the operatives went to Okorocha’s residence without a court order, declaring that they invaded Okorocha’s residence with at least 50 “thugs”.