Uche Nwosu has given a detailed narration of what transpired when he was arrested by some security agents in Imo.
The in-law to former Governor Rochas Okorocha claimed that those who bundled him into a vehicle that ill-fated day were attached to Imo Government House.
Nwosu added that while in the vehicle with the officers, one of them spoke in Hausa which he understands.
Days after his arrest by some officers of the Nigerian police, Uche Nwosu, a former governorship candidate in Imo, has spoken on his terrible experience.
Nwosu, who is an in-law to former governor Rochas Okorocha stated that the motive of the whole drama was to rubbish his image with the claim that he was supplying ammunition to criminals in the state.
In a Vanguard publication, he alleged that the police personnel who manhandled him were not from the Abuja command but those attached to the Imo government house.
Nwosu said while the men were with him a vehicle en route to Enugu airport where a jet flew them to Abuja one of them spoke on phone in Hausa with one Shaba to confirm that they have him.
The former Action Alliance (AA) gubernatorial candidate added that unknown to them, he understands the language, The Nation reports.
His words: “Over 15 masked security operatives jumped into the church. While some rushed to the altar, some came to where I was sitting and ordered me to move or move me.
“They started shooting and disrupted the sermon that was ongoing. I demanded to know what was going on but they said they had an instruction to bring me.
“They manhandled me and bundled me into one of the vehicles they came in. One of them ordered me to lie down and one of them placed his leg on my head.
“When they drove off, they started making calls in the Hausa Language, and unknown to them, I understand the Hausa Language. They were telling one Shaba who is the chief security officer that they have got me.
“At Umuaka, they stopped and ordered that I should get down. At that point, I thought they were to assassinate me. They bundled me into another vehicle and they drove off”
He called on Inspector General of Police Usman Baba to take charge of the investigation and unravel those who were actually behind the plot.
Meanwhile, 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.
“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”.
