Ohanaeze slams Imo govt over ‘politically motivated’ arrest of Okorocha

Ohanaeze Ndigbo, apex Igbo socio-cultural, has described the arrest of Rochas Okorocha, a former governor of Imo state, as a “politically motivated” attack. 

TheCable had reported that Okorocha was arrested on Sunday for unsealing the Royal Spring Palm Hotels and Apartments, which was earlier seized by the state government.

The former governor was escorted off the property by security operatives.

Ohanaeze, in a statement by Uche Okwukwu, its deputy president-general, argued that only a court of competent jurisdiction has the power to order the confiscation of a citizen’s property. 

“On Sunday, 21st February 2021, His Excellency Owelle Rochas Anayo Okorocha was physically attacked and filmed while being “arrested” by agents of Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma,” the statement reads in part. 

“Ohanaeze Ndigbo unreservedly condemns this politically motivated attack on the highly distinguished Owelle Okorocha who served his people well for eight years as Imo State governor, 2011-2019. 

“Royal Palm Estate remains the private property of Dame Nkechi Rochas Okorocha. Only a court of competent jurisdiction, not a panel of enquiry or legislative assembly, can order the confiscation of a citizen’s property. To the best of our knowledge, no court of competent jurisdiction has so ordered.”

Okwukwu noted that Okorocha has the right to access his property while noting that “state actors” recruited the political opponents of the former governor to assault him. 

“Owelle Rochas Okorocha reserves his full right accessing his wife’s property without let or hindrance. Under the law, you cannot break into, or trespass on, your own property,” he said. 

“The offending party were state actors who went out of their way to recruit Owelle Okorocha’s political opponents to assault him under the disguise of arresting him.

“Ohanaeze Ndigbo demands for his immediate and unconditional release with apologies tendered to him. On the alternative, where he is found to have contravened the law, Ohanaeze demands he be immediately charged to a court of competent jurisdiction to defend himself.”

He urged Igbo elders to urgently intervene and broker peace between the former governor and Hope Uzodinma, governor of the state.