Imo panel on assets recovery indicts Okorocha over forceful acquisition of college land

Former Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha has been indicted by a panel on the recovery of government assets set up by the state government over the forceful acquisition of lands belonging to the Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education (AIFCE).

The Committee which submitted its report to Governor Hope Uzodinma on Tuesday in Owerri, recommended that the massive expanse of land located at the Shell Camp area of the state should be confiscated from Okorocha and his associates within six months and same handed over to the state owned institution.

The report of the panel which was signed by its Chairman, Prof Vitalis Orikeze Ajumbe and Secretary-General, B F Anyanwu, noted with regrets that as a sitting governor, Okorocha, “used brute force including the military and hoodlums to snatch the land from the College after which he allocated or sold same to his top associates.”

The report named some of the beneficiaries as Dr Uzoma Anwuka and Kingsley Uju, both said to be Okorocha’s in laws,

Read also: Okorocha asks court to dismiss EFCC’s N2.9bn fraud charges against him

“Apart from Okorocha”s in-laws , a former speaker, Chief Acho Ihim, Charles Orie, Prince Charles Amadi and Ugochukwu Hillary also benefited from the illegal acquisition,” the report said.

The Committee which also stated that Okorocha ordered the demolition of 101 buildings belonging to staff of the college and thereafter confiscated their property, urged the State Executive Council “to direct the recovery of all the lands belonging to AIFCE, which are now illegally in the hands of individuals and institutions.”

“AIFCE should take full possession of the vacated land and property immediately upon recovery while the Commissioner for Lands and OCDA should recover the land within six months,” the committee recommended.

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