The officials of the Imo State Police Command have arrested a Senior Special Assistant to Governor Rochas Okorocha, Mr. Okechukwu Okorocha, for illegally being in possession of arms.
Punch reports that Andrew Enwerem, the police public relations officer (PPRO) in the state, while briefing newsmen at the State Police Command Headquarters in Owerri earlier today made it known that Okorocha has been arrested.
The PPRO further said that said he was arrested after operatives of the State Criminal Investigation Department, acted on a tip-off, conducted a cordon-and-search operation at his residence today and recovered three pump action automatic rifles with 24 live cartridges and a Kenwood walkie-talkie.
He continued by making it known that the command had gotten information that some top government functionaries were gathering arms with the intention to disrupt the general elections in Imo State. The police spokesman noted that Okorocha had acted contrary to an instruction from the police to all residents, particularly members of the State Vigilante Service, to surrender all the arms and other dangerous weapons in their possession before the general elections.
Enwerem said: “We have been announcing that the vigilance group will not be part of the security beef up at the polling centres during the elections. As a result, we have been warning them to return the prohibited firearms in their possession to the Divisional Police Officers nearest to them.”
In a similar operation by the State CID in Owerri, three automatic pump action rifles with 14 live cartridges were found in the security post of Ebuada Housing Estate in the city. While recovering the weapons, four suspects, Kelechi Onuoha, Chigozie Uzowuru, Osita Obiako and Linus Aka were also arrested.
“It is believed that these arms were going to be used to disrupt the coming elections. The arrested suspects are currently in the custody of the police and they are undergoing interrogation. This is what we have done in preparation to ensure that there is a peaceful, credible, free and fair elections in Imo State,” the PPRO said.
Meanwhile, just two days ago, a major disaster was averted in Imo state as a pedestrian bridge built by Governor Rochas Okorocha at Heroes’ Children’s Park collapsed while the governor was on the bridge
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