The Police have confirmed that son-in-law of a former governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha and former governorship candidate in the state, Chief Uche Nwosu, was arrested and not kidnapped by gunmen contrary to earlier reports.
In a statement on Sunday signed by the spokesperson for the state police command, CSP Michael Abattam for the state Commissioner of Police, the police said Nwosu was in their custody but did not state the reason why he was arrested.
According to the statement: “This is to inform the general public that Chief Uche Nwosu was not kidnapped but was arrested by the police and Imo state police command is aware of the arrest and presently he is in police custody.
“This is to refute the earlier news that has been making rounds on social media that he was kidnapped by unknown persons/gunmen.
“The Commissioner of Police while using this medium to assure Imolites of the command’s commitment in ensuring the safety of life and prosperity this Yuletide seasons, advised the general public to always shun fake news.
The incident led to apprehension on Sunday as Nwosu was whisked away by gunmen from a church service in his home town, Eziama Obieri in the Nkwerre Local Government Area of the state.
The incident occurred during the late Jemamah Nwosu’s Outing Service, which was also attended by the victim’s mother.
However, the spokesperson for the state police command, Abattam, had said that Nwosu was arrested and not kidnapped.
He also did not state the reason for his arrest, saying the police would soon release a press statement on the issue.
“Yes, I can confirm to you that he was arrested and not kidnapped. Don’t worry, I will soon release a press statement on it,” he had said.
Nwosu and his family were at St Peter’s Anglican Church on Boxing Day for a thanksgiving service when some gunmen in an Armoured Personnel Carrier and vans stormed the area.
They shot indiscriminately to scare people away before whisking the former governorship candidate away.
It was learnt that his security operatives could only watch as Nwosu was being whisked away.
Some residents had alleged that the state governor, Hope Uzodinma, had a hand in it but the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Declan Emelumba, has dismissed the allegation.
He described the allegation as ridiculous.
While Emelumba could not confirm if it was an arrest or a kidnap incident, he said that it was “ridiculous” to allege that the governor had a hand in the disappearance of Nwosu.
Okorocha’s son-in-law Uche Nwosu arrested, not kidnapped by gunmen -Police
Special Force Unit from the office of the Inspector General of Police arrested Uche Nwosu, the son-in-law of a former governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, it has been learnt.
Nwosu was arrested on Sunday at St Peter’s Anglican church at Eziama Obieri in the Nkwerre Local Government Area of the state while he and his family members were on an outing service after the burial of their mother, Jemimah Nwosu.
A police source said that it was police officers from Abuja who arrested him.
The source allayed fears that Nwosu was kidnapped, saying, the “police arrested him”.
“Police from the IGP’s Special Force Unit arrested him. He was not kidnapped,” the source, who pleaded anonymity, said.
Imo State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Michael Abattam, confirmed that Nwosu was in custody in a press statement titled, “Arrest of Chief Uche Nwosu’.
The statement read, “This is to inform the general public that chief Uche Nwosu was not kidnapped but was arrested by the police and Imo state police command is aware of the arrest and presently he is in police custody.
“This is to refute the earlier news that has been making rounds on social media that he was kidnapped by unknown persons/gunmen.
“The Commissioner of Police while using this medium to assure Imolites of the command’s commitment in ensuring the safety of lives and prosperity this Yuletide season, advised the general public to always shun fake news.”
SaharaReporters / The Punch
