Nwosu alleged that his abduction from the church last Sunday was the machination of Governor Hope Uzodimma; the governor tells him to provide evidence
Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, has described Uche Nwosu’s allegations against him and his government over his abduction by security operatives from a church on Sunday as spurious and baseless.
Uzodimma described him as a drowning man clutching at straws. He spoke through his Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Declan Emelumba.
Emelumba said in a statement that Nwosu was in a hurry to allege without proof that his arrest was masterminded by the state government.
The statement reads in part: “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 emphasised that the government of Senator Hope Uzodimma does not believe in tyranny or lawless behaviour as was in 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.
“A word should be enough for the wise.”
Nwosu, a former governorship candidate in Imo, said on Monday that his arrest in a church was like “war”.
He said the security agents who came for him fired gunshots inside the church.
According to him, it was a miracle that a stray bullet did not hit the clerics.
Nwosu said worshippers and clergymen took to their heels when the security men stormed the church.
The incident occured on Sunday during the Outing Service in honour of his late mother, Jamaimah Nwosu at the St. Peter’s Anglican Church, Eziama-Obaire in Nkwerre Council Area of Imo State.
Nwosu is the son-in-law of former Governor Rochas Okorocha, now a Senator.
Reliving his experience to reporters in Abuja, he said: “While the Service was still going on, some heavily armed security men invaded the church from different doors.
“While some went straight to the altar, others were walking from one line of pew to the other.
“When they spotted me, they opened fire and started shooting inside the church.
“Some of them walked up to me and said I should get up and follow them or they will blow off my head.
“I demanded to know who they were and where they are taking me.
“They started dragging me. All this while they were still shooting and everyone in the church was scampering for safety.
“It was like a war. They kept shooting inside the church and everybody was running in different directions.
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“It was just an act of God that stray bullet didn’t hit any of the clergymen because they were firing straight at the altar where most of them were seated.
“After they dragged me from the church into the car, they drove off.
“When we got to Owerri, three of the cars drove into the Government House and they drove me in one of the cars to Enugu.
“On the way, they stopped after one of them answered phone call and said Shafa, who is the Chief Security Officer (CSO) to the governor, asked them to get my pictures.
“They tore my clothes and took my pictures with handcuff and sent to the CSO.
“After that they drove me straight to Enugu Airport, where a chartered private jet was waiting and they flew me straight to Abuja.
“It was at Abuja that it was discovered that the Police hierarchy was not aware of the operation.
“It was purely planned and hatched at the Imo Government House.
“I was not invited by the Police or any other security agency before my abduction at the Church.”
Nwosu praised church leaders, members and youths in Imo for remaining calm.
He urged them not to take laws into their hands.
He hopes that those responsible will be brought to book.