A former Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, on Sunday, said police operatives who arrested his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu, during a church service at St Peter’s Anglican Church, Eziama Obieri in the Nkwerre Local Government Area of the state, pushed his wife, Nkechi, down and tore the clothes of his first daughter, Uloma.

https://youtu.be/bffd0Xq1dmM

Okorocha who briefed journalists at his Spilbat mansion in Owerri, the state capital, alleged that the state governor, Hope Uzodinma, deceived the inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, into desecrating the church of worship by arresting Nwosu.

Okorocha who now represents Imo West at the Senate claimed that the state government wanted to frame Nwosu because of its “non-performance.”

Okorocha said that Uzodinma had not hidden his wickedness against him and the members of his household.

The senator said that he was waiting on the governor to name the sponsors of the insecurity in the state on January 3 or take responsibility for the killings in the state.

Okorocha urged the police to free his son-in-law or take him to court within the next 24 hours as enshrined in the constitution.

Okorocha said that though the Commissioner of Police in the state, Rabiu Hussaini, had confirmed that Nwosu was being held in police custody, he had yet to establish contact with his son-in-law since he was arrested.

He said, “Uche Nwosu, my wife and daughter were at the church for an outing service, when a group of men in police uniform started shooting while the sermon was ongoing. In the course of their activities, they pushed down my wife and tore my daughter’s clothes. No warrant of arrest. No invitation. We suspected kidnapping at first. Many people were injured while running. Uche Nwosu was dragged into a bus carrying Imo State Government number plate.

“They were identified as policemen from Imo State Government House by their colleagues attached to Uche for the burial (of his mother). I got the CP who said that the IGP approved his arrest.

“The shock of such an arrest without warrant and humiliating members of my family is unfortunate. Most security operatives in Imo know nothing about the arrest. I don’t know what they framed up. The IGP could only do this on high-level misinformation from Hope Uzodinma. Over 100 gunshots to arrest Uche Nwosu. What kind of ruthless behaviour on an innocent citizen of Nigeria?

“Uzodinma wants to frame me up by all means. Uzodinma has to answer for most of the activities going on. Uzodinma must mention the names of those who are responsible for insecurity in Imo State or he should be held responsible for all the killings in the state. Uzodinma has framed up something against Uche Nwosu. Buhari should be informed about what is happening in Imo State. Hundreds of citizens are being killed in this state.”

https://youtu.be/ie5KzsJeag0

Former Imo Governor Rochas Okorocha has appealed to the youths to stop spilling blood in the state.

He made the appeal on Wednesday at Eziama-Obaire, Nkwerre Local Government Area of Imo State during the burial of the mother of his son-in-law, late Ezinne Jemaimah Adanweze Nwosu.

He urged the Imo youths to stop killings no matter the cause of their anger.

“I know there is no job, many are unemployed, but stop spilling the blood of your brothers and sisters no matter the cause of your anger.

“I do not subscribe to bloodletting,” he pleaded.

He said the killings in the state were so frightening that nobody would want to visit Imo without second thoughts.

“I know of six governors that wanted to come to Imo State, senators and ministers who wanted to come for the burial, but they could not come because of the situation in the state.

“I want to appeal to you, this killing must stop,” he said.

He asked youths to stop venting their anger on traditional rulers because of the failure of governance in the state.

Many monarchs have been kidnapped or killed in the state this month.

Okorocha urged youths to wait till 2023 to vote out bad governance through the electoral process.

Weeping, he said that the current Imo was not the state he governed for eight years and handed over in 2019.

Okorocha said: “This is not the Imo I used to know. This is not the Imo I was governor for, for eight years.

“I don’t support violence but I support protest through a proper channel.

“I urge you to wait till 2023 and use your PVC to vote out bad governance.

“Six governors called me and told me that they wanted to be here for the funeral but I told them for them to be here they must have to move about in Amorured Personnel Carriers and hence they couldn’t afford it, they stayed back in their respective states.”

Okorocha said that Imo was “gradually turning to Afghanistan”, urging priests to pray for the safety of the state.

He also consoled his son-in-law Ugwumba Uche Nwosu, urging him not to mourn over the death of his mother.

“I share your sorrow, cry no more but rather rejoice for Mama has brought up her family,” he said.

Nwosu recalled how his late mother single-handedly brought up her children without her husband who died leaving the whole family under the care of their mother.

“I appreciate our in-laws, the clergy, friends and well-wishers who stood by us from the beginning till today with their prayers, words of encouragements and financial support,” he said.

In his sermon, the Lord Bishop of Orlu Diocese, Benjamin Okeke, urged the family of the deceased to take solace in the Lord who will not abandon them.

He advised that all should repent because death could come at any time.

“Remember there is a day of reckoning when God will ask us what we have done with the life He has given us,” he said.

As the world gets set for Christmas festival, the Chancellor of Gregory University Uturu, Prof Gregory Ibe has called on Abians to be true adherents of the Christian faith by showing love to others especially in the spirit of the season.

The university don gave the charge while flagging off the 2021 edition of the state wide Prof Gregory Ibe Christmas Gifts Distribution to Abians.

Represented by the Director General of Abia Crusaders Foundation, Prince Emeka Okafor, Prof Ibe said love is the real reason for the yuletide season, Prof. Gregory Ibe Media Associates, ProGIMA said in a press statement on Friday.

Prof. Ibe challenged Abians to emulate God’s example, who according to him, “Sent our Lord Jesus Christ to the world on Christmas day because of the love he has for us”.

He therefore enjoined Abians to “imitate and replicate the divine example of God by extending gifts of love especially to the less privileged during the Christmas season”.

According to the statement, while flagging off the exercise, Prof. Ibe announced the release of a total of 3277 bags of rice packaged in 10,25 and 50 kg sizes, meant for distribution as Christmas gifts to the 292 electoral wards in the 17 Local government Councils of the state.

To facilitate the exercise, he inaugurated two distribution teams, charging them to implement successful conveyance of the rice gifts to Abians.

ABN TV gathered that following the flag-off, the two teams commenced instant distribution of the items to the targeted recipients at the 292 electoral wards beginning with Arochukwu Local Government Area.

The benevolent gesture was received with wild spontaneous jubilation in all the Local Government Councils covered by the two distribution teams as beneficiaries danced with unquantifiable joy while rendering songs of praise to God and eulogizing Prof Ibe for his magnanimity.

The 2021 edition of Prof Gregory Ibe Christmas gifts distribution exercise marked the climax of a series of philanthropic projects embarked upon by the university don during the course of the year as Corporate Social Responsibility.

It will be recalled that Prof Ibe had earlier in the year magnanimously undertaken many charity projects, including, award of scholarship to 130 Abians for strategic undergraduate studies in Gregory University Uturu, free medical outreaches in targeted rural communities and distribution of text books to public and private school in the state.