On February 21, Mr Okorocha was arrested by the police for unsealing a hotel owned by his wife shut by the Imo State government.
The arrest of members of the Federal government of Nigeria for finance related crimes committed by them when they were governors has become embarassingly rife. That none of these characters is in jail is another story altogather.
What is interesting is the media hype that come in the wake of these arrests and the theatrical court activities.
Some many months back, it was Orji Uzor Kalu, the former governor of Abia state. That that state is still impoverished and ridiculed as the most economically backward state in Nigeria while Orji Uzor Kalu parades himself as one of the richest Nigerians alive and presently in the top echelon of the Federal house of Parliament, Nigerians yet unborn will talk about on comedy platforms, in reference to this government.
Now, it is the turn of former Governor of the South-East state of Imo, Rochas Okorocha, who has been arrested, media platform can authoritatively report.
Mr Okorocha was arrested by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at about 4 P.M. Tuesday at his Unity House private office in Abuja, sources familiar with the matter told this medium.
The former governor was arrested after a five-hour standoff with EFCC operatives who trailed him to the location.
Our sources said the anti-graft agency had repeatedly invited the former governor to its Abuja headquarters in connection with multiple corruption allegations against him.
Mr Okorocha, who is now senator, reportedly declined to honour the invitation, a development that infuriated detectives who fanned out to get him.
The politician is currently being interrogated at the EFCC headquarters and it is unclear if he would be allowed to go home today.
Details of the allegations against the senator are sketchy but our sources said they are related to suspected monumental graft during his eight-year reign as governor.
Mr Okorocha’s spokesperson, Sam Onwuemeodo, could not be reached Tuesday evening to comment for this report.
When contacted, EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed the former governor is in his agency’s custody.
He declined further comments when pressed for details of the allegations against the politician.
Since he left office as governor in 2019, Mr Okorocha has been having a running battle with his successor, Governor Hope Uzodinma, who accused him of misgovernance and corruption during his tenure. Both men are members of Nigeria’s ruling party, APC.
On February 21, the former governor was arrested by the police for unsealing a hotel owned by his wife but which was shut by the Imo State government. He was later released.
In November 2020, the EFCC’s zonal office in Enugu arraigned Lasberry Anyanwu, a former commissioner who served under Mr Okorocha. He was charged with stealing and misappropriation of public funds to the tune of N180 million.
Court orders interim forfeiture of Rochas Okorocha’s properties
Barely four days after the Imo state police command arrested and released the senator representing Imo West constituency, for breaking into a government sealed ‘Royal palm spring estate’, High Court in Owerri on Thursday ordered an interim forfeiture of all properties allegedly ‘acquired illegally’ by Rochas Okorocha, while he was in office. Justice Fred Njemanze gave the order following an application brought by Louis Alozie, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, on behalf of the state government. Kagara kidnapping: Niger governor accuses FG of abandonment The properties to be forfeited include: “Eastern Palm University, Ogboko; Royal Spring Palm Hotels and Apartments; IBC staff quarters said to have been illegally acquired for the purpose of Rochas Foundation College, Owerri; magistrate quarters, Orlu road/cooperative office/Girls Guide allegedly converted to private use housing market square, Kilimanjaro eatery; public building plot B/2 Otamiri South Extension Layout given to the ministry of women affairs for establishing a skills acquisition centre for women, allegedly acquired for the benefit of Nneoma Nkechi Okorocha’s all-in stall, Aba road”. “Plot P5, Naze residential layout, initially part of primary school management board but now annexed to All-In Stall, Aba Road, belonging to Nkechi Okorocha, and all the properties contained from pages 226 to 272 of the government white paper on the recommendation of the judicial commission of inquiry into land administration in Imo state from June 2006 to May 2019”. However, addressing his followers moment after he was released, Okorocha said that the Imo state governor Hope Uzodinma should be cautioned, noting that he (Uzodinma) will not win the war.
