Okorocha son-in-law, Nwosu’s claim on Uzodinma baseless – Imo govt

The Imo State government said on Tuesday Governor Hope Uzodinma has no hand in the arrest of the Action Alliance (AA) governorship candidate in the 2019 election in the state, Uche Nwosu.

Police operatives had on Sunday morning stormed the St Peter’s Anglican Church in Eziama Obaire, Nkwerre local government area of the state and shot sporadically before whisking Nwosu, who is a son-in-law to former governor Rochas Okorocha, to the command headquarters in Owerri.

The incident sparked angry reactions from Nigerians with many condemning the desecration of the worship centre by the security agents.

Nwosu, who was released by the police on Monday, told journalists at a media briefing on Tuesday morning that he was arrested on the governor’s order.

But the Imo State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Declan Emelumba, who reacted to the claim in a statement in Owerri, said the ex-governor’s son-in-law was misled by the public.

The statement read: “The attention of Imo State Government has been drawn to a spurious and baseless allegation by Uche Nwosu who was recently arrested by the police, for a yet-to-be-disclosed crime, that the state government was behind his arrest.

“This is a malicious concoction that can only be made up by a drowning man.

“It is pitiable that rather than go into a sobering reflection on his arrest, Nwosu, upon his release on bail was in a hurry to allege without any proof that his arrest was masterminded by Imo State Government.

READ ALSO: Imo police release Uche Nwosu, remain silent on reason for his arrest

“There is no truth whatsoever in that allegation as it is a figment of his imagination. It is natural for a drowning man to clutch on any available straw to save himself. But spurious and baseless allegations are not the kind of straw that can save a drowning man.

“It is quite curious that in all of Imo State, it was only Uche Nwosu that the police targeted to arrest in such a manner for no just reason? Only time will tell.

“It should be emphasized that the government of Senator Hope Uzodinma does not believe in tyranny or lawless behavior as was in the case when Uche Nwosu was the defacto Deputy Governor of the state.

“This government believes in rule of law and due process and would not attempt to usurp the Constitutional responsibility of the security agencies.

“However, we believe that in the fullness of time, Imo people and indeed Nigerians will be apprised by the relevant agencies who the bandits in the state are and the real reason for the arrest of Uche Nwosu.

“No amount of blackmail and infantile vituperation against the government would obliterate the fact that the police have opened a case against Uche Nwosu and he will sooner than later give an account of his actions. A word should be enough for the wise.”

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