TheNewsGuru

Tag: Imo Government

  • Uzodimma never faulted Appeal Court judgment on Kanu – Imo govt.

    Uzodimma never faulted Appeal Court judgment on Kanu – Imo govt.

    The Imo Government has refuted a social media report that Gov. Hope Uzodimma faulted the Appeal Court judgment which acquitted detained leader of the proscribed Indigenious People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu.

    The state’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Declan Emelumba made the refuttal in a statement he signed in Owerri on Friday.

    Newsmen reports that the Appellate Court, on Thursday, quashed the allegations for which Kanu was arrested and detained as well as discharged and acquitted him.

    Emelumba described the report as “fake, embarrassing and infantile”.

    He said that the report was the handiwork of mischief makers, enemies of government and disgruntled members of the opposition aimed at dragging the governor’s image to the mud.

    He added that the governor, as a law abiding citizen, believed in the rule of law and could not have queried the judgment as insinuated by the fake news.

    ” After the series of successes recorded by Uzodimma in governance and other national assignments, disgruntled opposition and purveyors of misleading information have been trying to whittle down his popularity.

    ” Those familiar with the character of the state governor will affirm that he has never criticised the judiciary even when judgments did not go his way in personal matters.

    ” It is the height of mischief and perjury for anyone in the state to attribute such a comment to Uzodimma,” he said.

    He, however, advised managers of public information to be circumspect in the discharge of their duties.
    He further advised Nigerians to ignore the fake news as neither the governor nor any of his aides had reacted to the Appeal Court judgment on Kanu.

    ” The fake news did not attempt to answer the fundamental questions of 5Ws and H,which are who, what, when, where, why and how, concerning any news story. This renders it fake and unprofessional,” the commissioner said.

  • ‘He is an ordinary citizen, not above the law’, Imo Govt defends Police arrest of Okorocha’s son-in-law, Uche Nwosu

    ‘He is an ordinary citizen, not above the law’, Imo Govt defends Police arrest of Okorocha’s son-in-law, Uche Nwosu

    The Imo State government has reacted to the arrest of Mr Uche Nwosu, saying the police have the right to arrest him if suspected of any crime.

    Addressing reporters on Sunday in Owerri hours after the incident, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy in Imo, Declan Emelumba, stated that it was not in anybody’s place to tell the police how to arrest a suspect.

    He also faulted the reaction of the immediate past governor of Imo, Rochas Okorocha, to the arrest of Nwosu, the latter’s son-in-law.

    “What is the haste in this press conference trying to politicise an ordinary thing,” the commissioner said of the briefing convened earlier by the former governor.

    “Uche Nwosu is just an indigene of Imo State and a citizen of Nigeria, and if he has run afoul of the law, the police have every right to arrest him, and nobody should dictate to them how they do it.

    “It depends on the gravity of the offence, and it depends on the information at their (police) disposal.”

    Earlier, there was panic at Eziama-Obaire in Nkwerre Local Government Area of Imo as security operatives stormed St. Peter’s Anglican Church and left with Nwosu.

    The heavily armed operatives stormed the church with high-powered security vehicles, shooting sporadically into the air before arresting Okorocha’s son-in-law.

    Emelumba described the claim by Okorocha, in which he accused the state government of instigating Nwosu’s arrest, as untrue and disgusting.

    According to him, the former governor is just trying to whip up sentiments and speaking from a state of panic and guilt.

    The commissioner asked the former governor to desist from such an act and allow the security operatives who already confirmed the arrest of Nwosu to do their duty.

    He stressed that the state government has no hands in the arrest of Okorocha’s son-in-law.

    “What is painful is that a former governor of this state, Rochas Okorocha, is busy raining abuses on His Excellency, Governor of Imo State [Hope Uzodinma], and saying all manner of things about him.

    “I don’t want to join issues with him,” said Emelumba.

    Amid reports that Nwosu might have been abducted by gunmen whose identity was unknown, police authorities in the state said he was in their custody.

    “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,” said Michael Abattam who is the Police Public Relations Officer in Imo.

    “This is to refute the earlier news that has been making rounds on social media that he was kidnapped by unknown persons/gunmen.”

  • Ignore IPOB’s sit-at-home order, Imo government tells residents

    Ignore IPOB’s sit-at-home order, Imo government tells residents

    The Imo State Government on Thursday urged residents of the state to ignore a sit-at-home order by the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on May 29 and May 30.

    The Commissioner for Information and Strategy of the state, Mr Declan Emelumba, said this while briefing newsmen in Owerri on Thursday.

    Emelumba urged residents of the state to go about their lawful businesses without fear of molestation, adding that adequate security arrangements had been put in place to ensure safety and freedom of movement.

    “Imo residents should disregard these messages as they have no consequence whatsoever. They should go about their normal businesses without any fear of molestation.

    “Let our people be rest assured that the government has put all necessary security measures in place to ensure the safety and freedom of movement of all Imo people on these dates and after,” he said.

    Speaking on the alleged shoot-at-sight order given by government to security operatives, the commissioner said it was the handiwork of rumour mongers and enemies of the state.

    According to him, only criminals have something to worry about the security measures put in place in the state and innocent residents have nothing to fear.

    “Just when the government has successfully brought he state back to normalcy, these vicious enemies have contrived another rumour to the effect that security agents have been instructed to shoot and kill Imo youths extra judicially.

    “I am here to urge my dear Imo youths to ignore this baseless rumour of them being targets of intimidation or assault by security agents, as the originators of this rumour are those who have vowed to make Imo ungovernable.

    “I am, therefore, using this medium to appeal to our parents and guardians to rein in their children and wards against any form of demonstration in this volatile time.

    “Those who are stoking the embers of this crisis will not put forward their children to be part of the battle. That is why my fellow parents should not allow their children to be Cannon fodder in a purely mindless matter.

    “Once again, government has not given any order for either the arrest or killing of innocent Imo youths. So, law-abiding citizens should go about their legitimate businesses without any fear or panic,” he said.

  • Imo Government seizes Okorocha’s Royal Palm Estate

    Imo Government seizes Okorocha’s Royal Palm Estate

    The Imo State Government yesterday recovered Royal Palm Estate on Akachi Road, Owerri belonging to Nkechi Okorocha, wife of former governor of the state, Rochas Okorocha.

    The seizure was in compliance with the directive of the Imo State gazette on the report of the Judicial Commission of Enquiry on recovery of lands and other related matters.

    The Commissioner for Lands, Enyinnaya Onuegbu, who led the team that took the estate allegedly acquired by the ex governor’s wife yesterday evening, said the government had sealed up the place till further notice.

    ”This is as a result of the recommendation of the commission that all illegal lands and structures acquired by the administrations between 2006 and 2019 should be taken over by the government,” Onuegbu said.

    He said the current administration is therefore not resting on its oars in recovering all the stolen properties of the state especially those carted away by the previous administration.

    The commissioner added that in line with the 3Rs mantra initiative of Governor Hope Uzodimma, the state must continue to work in line with the relevant laws and recommendations of government agencies and commissions no matter whose ox is gored.

    It will be recalled that the Judicial Commission of Enquiry on Recovery of Lands and Other Related Matters was one out of the many panels constituted by the Emeka Ihedioha’s administration whose recommendations Governor Uzodimma has adopted.