Armed police officers on Sunday whisked away Uche Nwosu, son-in-law to former Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha, during a church service in the state.
An aide to Mr Nwosu, Darlington Ibekwe, said the police officers invaded the Saint Peter’s Anglican Church, Nkwerre, venue of a Thanksgiving service Mr Nwosu was having after burying his mother three days ago, and whisked him away.
He said the security men assaulted Mr Nwosu before whisking him away.
Mr Ibekwe said the security men, who came in three vehicles, also slapped and pushed to the ground Mr Okorocha’s wife, Nkechi, and her daughter, Uloma, who is Mr Nwosu’s wife when the duo tried to enquire why they were arresting Mr Nwosu.
He said, “We were at St Paul’s Anglican Church when we saw some vehicles, a Hilux, a white Hyundai H1 and a Ford Explorer arrived with police officers.
“These security men came into the church, slapped Ugwumba (Nwosu) and told him, ‘my friend stand up and follow us’.”
Mr Ibekwe said a surprised Mr Nwosu tried to inquire from the security men why he was being embarrassed in such a manner, a demand that earned him further assault.
“They beat him up, tore his shirt and dragged him out of the church like a common criminal,” he said.
Continuing, he said, “Senator Okorocha’s wife stood up and asked them what was going on, they slapped her and pushed her to the floor. Nwosu’s wife Uloma also tried to ask what was going on but they also slapped her and pushed her to the floor.
“They tore Mr Nwosu’s clothes, continued beating him till they put him in the car and drove off. They fired live bullets and the shells can be seen on the ground everywhere on the road before they zoomed off,” Mr Ibekwe said
The aide said the security men claimed they came from Abuja, but that they told Mr Nwosu’s aides that they were taking him (Mr Nwosu) to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Owerri.
Mr Ibekwe, in a live video feed on his Facebook page, captured where a man believed to be Mr Nwosu, was being dragged into a car by the armed police officers.
The officers fired gunshots in the air as they whisked the man into a waiting car and zoomed off.
The police spokesperson in Imo, Mike Abattam, said he was not aware of the incident when PREMIUM TIMES contacted him.
“I am just hearing this from you now. Let me find out and get back to you,” he said.
He was yet to get back to our reporter as of the time of filing this report.
The current governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma, and his predecessor, Mr Okorocha, who is now a senator, have been engaged in a prolonged political battle.
It is not clear, for now, if Mr Uzodinma has a hand in the arrest of the senator’s in-law.
PREMIUM TIMES
