Okorocha reacts to Imo government’s arrest order

The former governor of Imo State Rochas Okorocha Friday said the order of his arrest by the Imo State government is “an open invitation to anarchy or fracas in the State”

“Nigerians of good tidings should disregard the arrest order,” Okorocha’s spokesman Sam Onwuemeodo said in a statement on Friday.

The Secretary to State Government, Uche Onyeaguocha, on Thursday ordered a citizen’s arrest against Okorocha, over alleged assault on a government official.

He gave the order after the Chairman of the Recovery of Government Properties, Jasper Ndubuaku, was allegedly assaulted at Okorocha’s residence.

Ndubaku claimed that Okorocha hired thugs to attack him while he and the recovery team obtained a court order to search and retrieve looted state properties from the former governor were carrying out their duty.

Ndubaku claimed that he was first held hostage for some hours by the thugs in the presence of security men attached to Okorocha’s residence.

“We got a court order to recover stolen properties kept in Okorocha’s house and when we got to his house on Thursday, armed thugs attacked us.

“There are twenty government vehicles in his house, four speedboats, one movable crane and generator sets, which we went to recover before the incident.

Onyeaguocha, however, declared that the state had placed Okorocha on security watch and urged Imo citizens to arrest him and alert the government whenever they find him in the state.

Okorocha’s spokesman said if the government had written petitions to EFCC and ICPC and the agencies they should be allowed to do their work by investigating him instead of the harassment on his family and the invasion of his properties in the state.

He said Onyeaguocha’s order showed insensitivity on the side of the government in the State because such arrest order was uncalled for and Onyeaguocha had no right to issue an order of that nature.

“Onyeaguocha has repeatedly said that Chief Ihedioha does not have the capacity to govern the State and he has taken over the day to day running of the government,” Onwuemeodo said.

“That is why he could give such an irresponsible Order against a former governor of the State.”

He said the order only adds to their continued disrespect for the former governor, which is a very bad precedent.