The Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers has disowned Andrew Okwuegbunwa paraded as kidnap suspect by the Imo State Police Commandon Monday.
While parading Okwuegbunwa alongside few others as suspected Kidnappers, the Police command described him as the traditional ruler of Awara Autonomous Community in Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area.
In a release issued by HRH Eze Samuel Ohiri, chairman of Council of Ndieze through his Chief Press Secretary, Gift Nwokoro on Wednesday, stated that HRH; Eze N. Nwoke is the traditional ruler of Awara Autonomous Community and not Okwuegbunwa.
“Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers therefore appealed to the public to ignore the false claim by the Kidnapping suspect that he is the traditional ruler of Awara Autonomous Community as HRH, Eze N. Nwoke Is the government recognized traditional ruler of the community.”
“Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers also wish to state that Imo state Royal fathers are God-fearing and cannot be involved in crime of any kind, hence they are more concerned with the protection of lives and property of their subjects as chief security officers of their various Autonomous Communities” the release stressed.
Meanwhile, the member representing Oguta state Constituency at the Imo State House of Assembly, Hon. Barr. Frank Ugboma, has also disowned the kidnap suspect, saying Okwuegbunwa is not an indigene of any community in Oguta LGA.
It has become urgent to correct the erroneous, misleading and provocative story making the rounds that a Traditional Ruler from Oguta LGA is involved in and has been paraded as a Kidnaper by the Imo State Police Command Owerri.
The said Traditional Ruler is not from any of the traditional institutions in Oguta LGA, he is not an indegine of Oguta LGA. There is need for media houses to at all times cross check all facts before going to press.
Of more importance is the cogent fact that the said Traditional Ruler is said to be from Abur Community in Awara. And Awara Autonomous Community mentioned in the media and by the Police Command is not in Oguta LGA but in Ohaji/Egbema LGA.
And more importantly, the people of Oguta LGA are a peculiar people who do not indulge in Kidnapping and no Traditional Ruler has ever induged in such vices let alone Kidnapping as alledged in the media.
It has therefore become petinent that the media should stop arrogating and or importing such vexatious conducts to the good people of my Constituency.
NIGERIAN HORN
