Just In: Police Break Silence On Ebonyi LP Senatorial Candidate’s Alleged Abduction
The Ebonyi State Police Command has cleared the air on the alleged abduction of the Labour Party senatorial candidate for Ebonyi South, Linus Abba Okorie.
The state police command in a statement released on Monday disclosed that Okorie was arrested over drug-related matters and other offences.
The development was confirmed by the state command police public relations officer (PPRO), Chris Anyanwu, on Monday
According to Anyanwu, after a report that Okorie was abducted, men of the command swung into action and later discovered that he was at the head office of the EbubeAgu Security Outfit at Old Government House in Abakaliki.
Anyanwu noted that the former member of the House of Representatives had before now evaded many Police invitations and arrests.
He revealed that EbubeAgu briefed the command on why Okorie was arrested, which includes his activities and utterances that incited and provoked the violence that engulfed Onicha’s local government area of the State.
The police PPRO said the former lawmaker’s statement allegedly led suspected IPOB/ESN operatives or unknown gunmen to unleash mayhem in the area, leaving seven persons dead at the end of the attack.
Anyanwu revealed that the case has now been taken over by the State Police Command for preliminary investigation.
He added that Hon Okorie was severally invited by the Security and Intelligence Bureau of the Command over a petition dated 23/3/2022, authored by the State’s Attorney General/Commissioner for Justice.
He said that the petition alleged that Hon Okorie was spreading fake news against Governor David Umahi accusing the Governor of illegally withdrawing N6.7billion from State Government’s Account to fund the Appeal Court Judgment against his removal from office, among others.
He stated, “Similar to the above is another series of false allegations against the Government of Ebonyi State and the Police Command in his social media handles.
“When invited by the SIB over the false allegations/petition, Honourable Linus Abaa Okorie in his characteristic pompous manner refused vehemently to report to the SIB for a chat. Rather he chose to file fallacious suits against the Police Command.
“It is also pertinent to mention that Honourable Linus Abaa Okorie also has a pending case in which he is implicated in a drug-related offence where the suspects purported to be his agents were arrested for Hard drug sales and use at his City Hub Inn, Mile 50, Abakaliki.”
He said that the case was later transferred to the NDLEA for further necessary actions.
Anyanwu added, “CP Aliyu Garba, therefore, makes it categorically clear that Hon Okorie was neither abducted nor kidnapped and warns that people should desist from painting pictures of insecurity in the State by propagating unfounded rumours.”
He said the arrest of Okorie by the Ebubeagu shouldn’t be termed as kidnapping because it’s a lawful security outfit.
Anyanwu said, “This is because those terms mean different things. However, it is expected that the outfit after effecting such arrest, should hand over the matter to the Police for further investigation and other necessary actions which have played out in this instance.”
The Police warned Dr David Ogbonna of Hon Linus Okorie CaringHeart Foundation to henceforth know the implication of the wrong choice of words when next dishing out information for public consumption, adding that otherwise, he will face the dire consequences as enshrined in the laws of the land.
He noted, “The CP further reassures the good people of Ebonyi State that there is no cause for alarm and advises that everyone should go about their lawful businesses without any fear of molestation.”
This article was originally published on Naija News
