The Imo State Police Command on Sunday paraded 103 suspects who allegedly instigated violence and various electoral malpractices during the Governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections held in the state on Saturday.
The Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 9, Umuahia, Wilson Inalegwu, who is on election duty in the state, said the suspects were arrested at various parts of the state.
Inalegwu said the arrests of the suspects were carried out in conjunction with other security agencies.
The AIG said a team of crack police officers had been instructed to take over the investigation process.
He listed some of the suspects as Onyekachi Okeh, Success Ugochukwu, Ikenna Anochili, Uchenna Okwuoma, John Okechukwu and Collins Amadi.
The AIG said, “It is based on the hard work, commitment and determination as well as the robust partnership of all the security agencies that led to the peaceful conduct of the election.”
“With collaboration from all the security agencies, we ensured that serious chaos was averted on the election day.”
Gentlemen of the Press,
It gives me great pleasure to address you today. This address is important so as to keep the general public abreast of the recent developments in Imo State. It will be recalled that the Governorship/State Assembly elections took place yesterday and the Police and other Security agents were fully on ground to provide security before, during and after the elections.
It is based on the hard work, commitment and determination as well as the robust partnership of all the security agencies that led to the peaceful conduct of the said election and also ensured that serious chaos and mayhem was averted on the Election Day.
Sequel to the above, I wish to present to you One hundred and three (103) suspects arrested for various electoral and other related offences ranging from:-
1. Destruction of Electoral Materials
2. Unlawful Possession of Firearms/Suspected Political Thuggery
3. Cultism
4. Impersonation/Electoral Malpractice
5. Conspiracy
1. CONSPIRACY/ELECTORAL MALPRACTICE
SUSPECTS:-
i. Onyekachi Okeh ‘m’
ii. Success Ugochukwu ‘m’
iii. Ikenna Anochili ‘m’
iv. Evans Egbujuo ‘m’
v. Collins Amadi ‘m’
vi. Onyekachi Williams ‘m’
vii. Joshua Idego ‘m’
viii. Emeka Ifekwa ‘m’
ix. Iwuji Francis ‘m’
On 09/03/2019, following a tip-off, operatives of Anti – Political Unit of the command arrested the above named suspects while they were burning electoral materials belonging to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Suspects are political thugs/cultists.
2. IMPERSONATION/ELECTORAL MALPRACTICE
On 09/03/2019, following a tip-off received, operatives of Anti – Political Unit of the command arrested the following suspects listed from various locations in Imo State as follows:
FROM ORLU AREA COMMAND:-
i. Uchunna Okwuoma ‘m’
ii. Awa Oku ‘m’
iii. John Okechukwu ‘m’
FROM DIKENAFAI:-
i. John Ode ‘m’
ii. Nwafor Emeka ‘m’
iii. Ifemelu Okamelu ‘m’
iv. Ikenna Williams ‘m’
v. Uchechukwu Okorie ‘m’
FROM IDEATO SOUTH L.G.A.:-
i. Osuagwu Felix ‘m’
ii. Chialuka Chibueze ‘m’
iii. Hart Solomon Okoroma ‘m’
iv. Obiora Obinna ‘m’
v. Emeka Onyewuchi ‘m’
vi. Ndubuisi Adaku ‘m’
3. DESTRUCTION OF ELECTORAL MATERIALS
SUSPECT:-
i. Hon. Obinna Uche ‘m’
On 09/03/2019, upon report received, the above named suspect was arrested by operatives of the Armbush Unit of the Command for disruption of electoral process/destruction of electoral materials and hostage of official of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Investigation is in progress.
4. SUSPECTED POLITICAL THUGS/CULTISTS
On 08/03/2019, officers of the Nigerian Airforce while on stop and search duty along Aba Road/Poly junction flagged down one Mitsubishi L300 bus conveying a group of passengers into the state. On interrogation, suspects could not give satisfactory account of themselves. Some claimed they came from Onitsha while others claimed they came to campaign and that after the campaign, they will be paid five thousand (5, 000.00) naira each. On the heels of that, they were arrested. The arrested suspects are as listed below:
SUSPECTS:-
i. Allwell Uwakwe ‘m’
ii. Obinna Godswill ‘m’
iii. Adolphus Okorie ‘m’
iv. ThankGod Sunday ‘m’
v. Emereze Akpom ‘m’
vi. Victor Ugwuoha ‘m’
vii. Otubo Nnabuife ‘m’
viii. Samuel John ‘m’
ix. Chimezie Anthony ‘m’
x. Okezie Obaya ‘m’
xi. Friday James ‘m’
xii. Emeka Eze ‘m’
xiii. Sunday Daniel ‘m’
xiv. Monday Eni ‘m’
xv. Chibuike Wilfred ‘m’
xvi. Sunday Onoja ‘m’
xvii. Morris Sylvester ‘m’
Similarly, on 08/03/2019, operatives of the command along Aba/Owerri Road intercepted and arrested another group numbering twenty (20) in a bus. Suspects who are not domiciled in Imo state claimed they came into the state for a burial and could not mention the place they were going for the burial nor the person that they were going to bury. The suspects arrested are:
i. Micheal Jumbo ‘m’
ii. Ifeoni Igoboye ‘m’
iii. David Godspower ‘m’
iv. Kingsley Davies ‘m’
v. Chinemerem Robert ‘m’
vi. Jonathan Samuel ‘m’
vii. Nathaniel Sunday ‘m’
viii. David Amoma ‘m’
ix. Saviour Nuka ‘m’
x. Emeka Ekeke ‘m’
xi. Wisdom Godwin ‘m’
xii. Sampson Gabriel ‘m’
xiii. Abiodun Ola ‘m’
xiv. Eta Effiong ‘m’
xv. Michael Charles ‘m’
xvi. Stanley Opara ‘m’
xvii. David Samuel ‘m’
xviii. Chukwu C. Chigozie ‘m’
xix. Michael Alugwa ‘m’
xx. Promise Okon ‘m’
In the same vein, personnel of the Airforce Base, 211 Company on stop and search duty at airport junction along Aba/Owerri Road on 08/03/2019 arrested another group suspected to be political thugs whom on instant interrogation, could not give satisfactory account of themselves. They are as follows:
i. Anuforo Vitalis ‘m’
ii. Iwu Kelechi ‘m’
iii. Anyanwu Lambert ‘m’
iv. Austine Njoku ‘m’
v. Anthony Afor ‘m’
vi. Ifeanyi Chukwu ‘m’
vii. Joshua Ekeocha ‘m’
viii. Innocent Iwu ‘m’
ix. Nze Nwagwu ‘m’
x. Onyejiuwa Chibuzor ‘m’
xi. Madu Uzoma ‘m’
xii. Chinonso Ishiocha ‘m’
xiii. Akujiobi Onyekwere ‘m’
xiv. Akujiobi Michael ‘m’
xv. Emeribe Promise ‘m’
xvi. Nkwocha Ugochukwu ‘m’
xvii. Eke Uche ‘m’
xviii. Nnachukwu Theadeus ‘m’
xix. Njoku Ifeanyi ‘m’
xx. Friday Atuegwu ‘m’
xxi. Charles Ologhara ‘m’
xxii. Njoku Ifeanyi ‘m’
xxiii. Alozie Salvation ‘m’
xxiv. Eke Leonard Udo ‘m’
xxv. Solochi Okpala ‘m’
xxvi. Nnejiakolam George ‘m’
xxvii. Nnaji Ifeanyi ‘m’
xxviii. Eleama Tochi Virginus ‘m’
xxix. Clement Obi ‘m’
xxx. Maduekwe Innocent ‘m’
xxxi. Ndubuisi Nwachukwu ‘m’.
5. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF FIREARM/SUSPECTED POLITICAL THUGS
SUSPECTS:-
i. Hon. Ikechukwu Ohanyere ‘m’
ii. Chief Chukwuma Ohanweh ‘m’
iii. Abba Elvis ‘m’
iv. Canice Ifeanyi ‘m’
v. Wisdom Solomon ‘m’ all of Ihim Autonomous community in Isiala Mbano L.G.A
EXHIBITS RECOVERED:-
i. One (1) Pump Action gun
ii. Five (5) Rounds of live cartridges
iii. One (1) Toyota Previa car with Reg. No. NGN – 550 – XA
On 09/03/2019, operatives of the escort team of the Deputy Inspector – General of Police while on election monitoring arrested the above named suspects at Okohia in Isiala Mbano in possession of the listed exhibits.
6. SUSPECTED POLITICAL THUGS/CULTISTS
SUSPECTS:-
i. Okechukwu John ‘m’
ii. Chukwuemeka Anya ‘m’
iii. Chidiebere Michael ‘m’
iv. Success Ndukwe ‘m’
v. Nonso Emmanuel ‘m’
vi. Mebude Daniel ‘m’
On 09/03/2019,the above named suspected political thugs/Cultists were arrested Aboh Mbaise L.G.A of Imo State. Investigation is in progress.
SUMMARY OF ARRESTS RECORDED DURING/AFTER THE GUBERNATORIAL/STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS IN THE STATE
Total number of suspects arrested =103
EXHIBITS RECOVERED
Burnt Electoral materials
One (1) Pump Action gun
Five (5) Rounds of live cartridges
One (1) Toyota Previa car with Reg. No. NGN – 550 – XA
Three (3) Buses