Security operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission have arrested Rochas Okorocha, a former governor of Imo State. According to Daily Trust, the lawmaker was brought out of his residence at about 6:47 pm.
Before his arrest, several gunshots and tear gas were fired to disperse agitated supporters of the lawmaker. The operatives had earlier vowed not to leave the premises of the Senator until he was arrested. According to an official of EFCC, Okorocha will be taken to the headquarters of the commission where he will be until May 30 when he will be arraigned in court.
Some of the EFCC operatives had earlier surrounded the Okorocha’s private residence in Abuja.
The mission of the operativeswas not immediately clear but the lawmaker while addressing journalists said he wondered why the security agents would hold him hostage and prevent him from participating in the screening of all presidential aspirants.
However, reacting to the seige, the EFCC, in a statement by its spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, said the move followed the said refusal of the former governor to honour several invitations extended to him after jumping the administrative bail earlier granted him by the commission.
Uwujaren mentioned that the EFCC had on January 24, 2022, filed a 17-count charge bordering on diversion of public funds and properties to the tune of N2.9billion against Okorocha. He said the case was assigned to Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja but attempts to arraign Okorocha was twice refused owing to the absence of the ex-governor who evaded service of processes.
Wilson added, ”At the last adjourned date, March 28th, 2022, Justice Ekwo before adjourning until May 30th, 2022, had warned that it was ‘the last adjournment I shall grant in this matter.’
”In the circumstances, the Commission is left with no option but to effect the arrest of Senator Okorocha and bring him to trial.”
