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From Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), yesterday, said controversial arrest of Uche Nwosu, son-in-law to former governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, and governorship candidate of the Action Alliance (AA) in the 2019 elections in a church has unveiled the masterminds of insecurity in Imo State, in particular, and South East as a whole. The gestapo manner of the arrest led many to conclude that he must have been abducted by gunmen.
But the Imo State Police Command later dismissed the rumour, saying he was arrested by its men and not kidnappers.
In a statement on Monday, Imo State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Declan Emelumba, said the arrest of Uche Nwosu at the church premises was avoidable and stands condemned.
However, IPOB said the abduction has exposed the masterminds of insecurity in the State. The self-determination group, in a statement by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful, titled, “Abduction of Uche Nwosu has exposed masterminds of insecurity in Imo state,” stated: “Nwosu’s incident, on Sunday, has again vindicated the group. This is another indication that IPOB and Eastern Security Network (ESN) are not responsible for the numerous attacks, abductions/kidnappings in Imo State, contrary to false accusations and propaganda. But God Almighty, Chukwu Okike Abiama, has exposed them this time around.”
The self-determination group also said, contrary to the belief in certain quarters, no single individual can sponsor IPOB. It said its activities are financed through donations by family members home and abroad and not by politicians.
IPOB said: “For the umpteenth time, no single individual can sponsor IPOB. We are a global movement and millions of our family members home and abroad remain the source of our sponsorship.“We have never hidden this fact because we are not a secret or terror organisation. IPOB is well grounded and we don’t need any Okorocha, Uche Nwosu or Hope Uzodinma or any politician for that matter to sponsor us. We have no dealings with corrupt politicians and people with questionable sources of wealth.”
In condemning the manner of Uche Nwosu’s arrest, the group said: “It’s now transparently obvious to all who the masterminds of the abductions/killings of many traditional rulers and religious leaders, including politicians in Imo State and other parts of South East are.
“It is also now clear who created unknown gunmen to demonise and implicate IPOB and ESN operatives. ”Meanwhile, the Imo State Government has denied masterminding Nwosu’s arrest.State commissioner for Information and Strategy, Declan Emelumba, who made the denial while reacting to Nwosu’s claim that the State government was behind his arrest, described the allegation as “malicious concoction that can only be made by a drowning man.”
He said: “It is pitiable that rather than go into a sober 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 the Imo state government. 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 emphasised that the government of Senator Hope Uzodimma does not believe in tyranny or lawless behaviour as was the case when Uche Nwosu was the de facto 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 account of his actions,” Emelumba stated.
