Daybreak, Politics, Entertainment, Sport

Tag: Uche Nwosu

BREAKING: Suspects fingered Rochas Okorocha, Uche Nwosu as gunmen sponsors – Imo govt
Imo State Government says some suspects have named former Governor Rochas Okorocha and Uche Nwosu as sponsors of bandits and kidnappers.
Nwosu, Okorocha’s son-in-law, was a Deputy Chief of Staff and Action Alliance (AA) Imo governorship candidate in 2019.
A statement on Tuesday by Oguwike Nwachuku, Governor Hope Uzodinma’s Chief Press Secretary, said the duo were funding violence in the State.
The spokesman pointedly accused them of fuelling “kidnapping, banditry, arson and cannibalism”.
Nwachuku said they had been promoting news of the alleged arrest of the security officers attached to Uzodimma.
He noted that the aim was to stop the governor’s vow to expose the identities of those behind insecurity and other forms of criminality in Imo.
“The current media frenzy by both Rochas Okorocha and Uche Nwosu appears to be strengthening the notion of their culpability.
“The duo have resorted to publishing falsehood yet again about security officers in the State Government House.
“Their claim of the arrest and detention of a certain Shaba, whom they falsely allege to be the CSO to the Imo State Governor is strange as the Governor’s CSO is not known by the name of Shaba,” he said.
Nwachuku maintained that no security officer in the Governor’s security team was either arrested or is currently unaccounted for.
“Okorocha and Nwosu have been specifically mentioned by suspects who are in the custody of security agents, as being sponsors of kidnapping and banditry in Imo State, using their relationship with former ex-militants to perpetrate the crimes,” he alleged.
He said instead of clearing their names, they appear bent on using both overt and covert means to blackmail the Police High Command, “which legitimately arrested Uche Nwosu.”
The statement told the public to ignore reports against the State government, as well as the “failed attempt to frustrate the Imo stakeholders’ meeting taking place on Tuesday”.
January 4, 2022
Nwosu’s Arrest: The Mystery Of ‘Unknown Gunmen’ In Imo Is Now Unravelling – Okorocha
Former Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha on Tuesday suggested that elements described as ‘unknown gunmen’ in Imo State may soon be revealed after the arrest of Uche Nwosu.
Okorocha, a serving Senator at the National Assembly, made the comment while speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today.
According to him, Nwosu’s arrest at a church on Sunday gave a glimpse into how the Imo State government carries out criminal acts with policemen attached to Government House.
The Imo State Government has said Mr. Nwosu’s arrest was part of an independent police investigation and that Mr. Okorocha was attempting to politicise the issue.
Mr. Nwosu, who has since been released by the police, was a candidate in the Imo gubernatorial election of 2019.
In a press conference on Tuesday, he said his arrest was politically motivated.
The police are yet to publicly comment on the matter.
Okorocha Said;
“What is happening in Imo state is unfortunate. And not just Imo, but the entire nation and humanity. Imo State is becoming a banana republic, where there is complete lawlessness and where people live in fear. There is no day that somebody is not being killed, harassed.
“It appears as if the happenings in Imo state have some backing from Abuja. That’s what I could figure out. And there seems to be enmity between the people here and the presumed federal government of Nigeria just because of a communication gap.
“Most people have been wondering about the mystery of unknown gunmen. But it appears to me now that unknown gunmen have finally been unraveled with the recent happenings.
“Unknown gunmen now is a set of policemen from Government House who, without the consent of the Commissioner of Police, the Inspector General of Police, or the DIGs, but on their own on the instruction of the government of Imo State, led by Hope Uzodinma, and his CSO, Shaba, who give directives to arrest people at will and lock up people at will and sometimes the whereabouts of these people are unknown. They get policemen from the Government House and go to execute unholy acts. And when they run into problems, they quickly say it is the police.”
December 29, 2021
I was stripped half-naked, handcuffed on Uzodinma’s orders – Uche Nwosu
The 2019 governorship candidate of Action Alliance, AA in Imo State, Ugwumba Uche Nwosu has accused the Imo State Governor of sanctioning his arrest, saying he was stripped half-naked, handcuffed on the orders of the state governor.
Nwosu who is also the son-in-law of a former governor of the state, Rochas Okorocha, now Senator representing Orlu Senatorial District, advised Uzodinma to eschew bitterness and concentrate on governance than politics.
The former chief of staff stated this while briefing journalists on Tuesday in Owerri, Imo State.
He denied having hands in the insecurity in the state, saying the young man who accused him in a viral video of giving him money to escalate insecurity in the state was asked to implicate him.
Nwosu who was visibly angry said those who abducted him manhandled him before ordering him to lie on the floor in the vehicle and one of them rested one of his legs on my head.
Narrating his ordeal, Nwosu said,” When they drove off, they started calling in Hausa and unknown to them I understand Hausa. They were telling one Shaba, who is the Chief Security Officer that they have got me. At Umuaka, they stopped and ordered that I should get down. At that point, I thought they were to assassinate me. They bundled me into another vehicle and they drove off.”
According to him,” When we got to Owerri, three other vehicles drove straight to the government house and the one carrying me drove towards Okigwe Road, and I asked them where they were taking me to but they never responded to me. They drove towards Okigwe and stopped. At this point, I thought they wanted to assassinate me. They asked me to remove my cloth, handcuffed me, snapped me, made a video, and sent it to the governor’s CSO.
“We continued until we got to Enugu airport. We waited for about 90 minutes before a chartered flight arrived. We boarded and we landed in Abuja. We moved to force headquarters and we did interviews. They accused me of sponsoring insecurity in Imo State. I want to thank the IGP who intervened and ordered my release.”
Reacting, the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Declan Emelumba, said Senator Uzodinma has no hand in Uche Nwosu arrest, it’s the law that caught up with him. It has nothing to do with Uzodinma. If he commits an offence, he should be arrested like everyone.
December 28, 2021
Invading Church to Arrest Uche Nwosu Unacceptable – Anglican Church
The Anglican Province of Owerri, Imo State, says it will engage the police to find out why it desecrated the church while enforcing the arrest of Uche Nwosu at St Peter’s Anglican Church, Eziama Obieri in the Nkwerre Local Government Area of the state on Sunday during a thanksgiving service.
The church said that while it supports the arrest of individuals who committed crimes no matter how highly placed they are, the invasion of a church of worship by security operatives while service was ongoing was unacceptable.
Nwosu, who is the son-in-law of former Governor Rochas Okorocha, was arrested by policemen at the church for reasons unknown but later released.
The Archbishop of the province, Most Rev Dr David Onuoha, in a statement on Monday, said that the shooting of bullets and dispersing of worshippers had never been witnessed in the over 160 years of the existence of the church in the state.
The statement read in part, “As much as we are not concerned or interested in the reason for this invasion, which is unprecedented in the more than 160 years history of the church in this state, we are gravely worried and disturbed that worshippers were greatly frightened, worried, confused and completely disorganised by the presence of heavily armed security operatives in the church service thereby disrupting the worship of God’s people.
“That the police jumped inside the church in a gestapo style when the service was in full session is reprehensible, primitive, and highly condemnable. We are at a great loss why the police decided to throw caution to the winds and completely ignore internationally acclaimed rules of engagement and civility in this matter.”
The church said the sporadic gunshots outside the building sent worshippers scampering in different directions, signaling an abrupt and chaotic end of the service.
But the Imo state government on Monday apologised to the public on how Uche Nwosu was arrested during a church service.
In a statement by the Imo State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Declan Emelumba, the government said it holds in high esteem the Anglican Church and the church of God in general.
The statement disclosed that the security threats posed by the development necessitated the manner Nwosu was arrested.
The statement read “The Imo State Government is aware of the futile efforts by some people to whip up public sentiments against it over the arrest in an Anglican Church of Mr Uche Nwosu.
“In this regard the arrest of Mr Nwosu within the church premises could have been avoided and therefore stands condemned. While the government regrets the manner the arrest was made, we wish to emphasise that since it was purely a security matter, the full reason such an action was taken will eventually unfold and perhaps guide the public better.”
Meanwhile, Nwosu’s media aide, Chikezie Nwadike, stated that his principal didn’t spend the night in police custody.
He also debunked the speculation that Nwosu was arrested in a church because he had refused to honour several police invitations extended to him.
The aide challenged the police to produce proof that he was invited by the police before the invasion of the church.
The statement read in part, “This is to inform the general public, friends and well-wishers, supporters and Sympathisers that Ugwumba Uche Nwosu, who was abducted by security agencies while observing Church service at St Peter’s Anglican Church Umunwokwe Village Eziama-Obaire Nkwerre LGA has regained his freedom and released unconditionally. He never spent a Night in their custody as every effort was put in place to get him out.
“Recall the ugly incident that took place on December 26, 2021 at St Peter’s Anglican Church as security operatives swooped on him inside the church during the outing service of his mother’s burial and whisked him away amidst sporadic shootings and harassment of the congregation.
“I have spoken with him and he extended his greetings to all of us out there.”
He said the invasion of the church implied that the government of Governor Hope Uzodinma lacked respect for God.
December 28, 2021
UPDATE: Okorocha’s Son-In-Law, Uche Nwosu Regains Freedom
The Police have released a former Imo State gubernatorial candidate, Uche Nwosu.
Nwosu, a son-in-law to former Governor Rochas Okorocha, was whisked away by the security agencies at St. Peter’s Anglican Church, Eziama-Obaire, Nkwerre Local Government Area of Imo State on Sunday.
The heavily-armed security operatives stormed the church with high-powered security vehicles and shot sporadically into the air before arresting Nwosu.
Confirming the release via a statement on Monday, the Special Adviser to Nwosu on Media, Nwadike Chikezie, said his principal did not spend a night in custody.
“I have spoken with him and he extended his greetings to all of us out there. While we await police report on why the abduction and arrest, we call on everyone to remain calm and focused because God is in charge of the whole situation,” the statement read.
“The act of desecrating the House of God we all know a direct affront and challenge to God Almighty. We leave God to do his fight because vengeance is of God but to all Christians, does it now mean that the Government has no more respect for God, and does it now mean that the House of God is no more a place one can take refuge? God prove your answers.”
The earlier arrest of Nwosu created panic in the community as it was the outing service of his late mother who was laid to rest on Wednesday 22nd December 2021.
While police authorities did not immediately confirm the incident, they released a statement later to clarify that Nwosu was arrested and not abducted as feared in some quarters.
December 27, 2021
Uche Nwosu, Okorocha’s son-in-law, arrested in Imo church
Uche Nwosu, former governorship candidate of Action Alliance (AA) in Imo state, has been arrested by the police operatives.
A statement issued by Michael Abattam, spokesperson of the Imo police command, said Nwosu was not abducted and is presently in police detention.
“This is to inform the general public that Chief Uche Nwosu was not kidnapped but was arrested by the police and Imo state police command is aware of the arrest, and presently he is in police custody,” the statement reads.
“This is to refute the earlier news that has been making rounds on social media that he was kidnapped by unknown persons/gunmen.
“The Police Commissioner in the state used the medium to assure Imolites of the Command’s commitment in ensuring the safety of lives and properties in the state this festive season.”
Nwosu was arrested on Sunday during a church thanksgiving service at St. Peter’s Anglican Church, Umunwokwe Village Eziama-Obaire Nkwerre LGA had prompted controversies.
The church thanksgiving service was in honour of his late mother Jemaimah Nwosu, who was laid to rest last Wednesday.
He is the son-in-law of Rochas Okorocha, a senator and former governor of Imo.
Earlier on Sunday, gunmen had abducted Charles Mato, the Sum Pyem and paramount ruler of Gindri in Mangu LGA of Plateau.
Ishaku Takwa, media officer of operation safe haven (OPSH), the military task force maintaining peace in the state, sad the traditional ruler was abducted at his residence.
He said troops of the task force had been mobilised to the area to conduct search and rescue operations.
December 26, 2021
APC crisis: Nwosu lauds Buhari’s intervention
Mr Uche Nwosu, the 2019 governorship candidate of the Action Alliance (AA) in Imo, has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his intervention in the crisis rocking All Progressives Congress (APC).
Nwosu said this in a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday.
He said that the President’s intervention had saved APC from collapse because the crisis would have escalated beyond management.
He urged APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, to use the opportunity given to him by President to make peace with party members.
According to him, if the President hasn’t intervene, the problem in APC would have escalated.
Nwosu, who described Buhari as the strongest weapon in the APC, said that his intervention in the party should be taken seriously.
He called on party stakeholders to accept the olive branch extended to them by Oshiomhole.
“There is need for every party member to sue for peace because the collapse of APC would not be good for anybody,” he said.
Nwosu urged party chieftains to concentrate on how to make APC stronger and enduring rather than engaging themselves on 2023.
“Let me say it, 2023 is still far and it is only God that can give anybody Presidency in 2023.
“Let nobody think that the earlier he start preparing for the presidential ticket, the better his chances of haven it,” he said. (NAN)
March 19, 2020
2023: Buhari’s achievements can earn APC continuity – Ex-guber candidate
Former Imo Action Alliance (AA) governorship candidate, Mr Uche Nwosu, has expressed optimism that achievements of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration were obvious to earn the All Progressives Congress (APC) continuity in power by 2023.
Nwosu, who recently returned to the APC along with his supporters, expressed the optimism in an interview with newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja.
He said he was not surprised that Buhari assured Nigerians that he would not impose his successor on the party or the country, saying “I believe him; that is him and that is leadership.
“The APC under President Buhari has done well in the areas of fight against corruption, insecurity and agricultural development.
“In the area of agriculture, we now have abundance of locally produced rice. In the area of fight against corruption, corrupt people are now scared. In the area of integrity Nigerians are now happy to reveal their identities anywhere in the world,” he said.
Nwosu added that Buhari had also given voices and recognition to young Nigerians.
“It is because of the Not Too Young to Run Bill that made some of us to run in the last general elections. It is because of the bill that someone like me decided to run for governorship election in Imo,” he said.
He said the party would leverage on Buhari’s achievements that cut across different sectors of the country’s economy.
“If the president made locally produce rice available to Nigerians, if he has fought corruption and he has made Nigeria’s name to be dear to other nations, we should leverage on that.
“It is we that are governors, leaders and members of the party that should leverage on his achievements,” he added.
Nwosu however advised the party to also build on Buhari’s achievements, especially in the area of youths empowerment within the next four years.
“We should leverage more on youths empowerment because 60 to 70 per cent of the population are youth. We need to empower more youths,” he said.
On his recent defection to the APC, Nwosu said he did that in spite of his experience in the 2019 general elections because of his love for Buhari and achievements of the party.
“APC did wonderfully well in Imo and I have not seen what will make our members to go to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Imo.”
He said the achievements of former governor Rochas Okorocha was also enough for people of the state to remain in APC.
“Just few weeks ago, the former speaker of Imo House of Assembly came back to APC and more are still coming.
“It is about what the party can offer. For me the performance of Okorocha in Imo is enough for people to come to APC,” he said.
He, however, denied the insinuation that Okorocha gave him the support to run for governorship during the last elections because he was his in-law.
“Okorocha gave me the opportunity to run not because I am his in-law but because he deems me fit because of my performance and capability.
“When I was commissioner for land in Imo, I was not his in-law. That time I initiated the urban renewal that we had in Imo,’’ he said.
Nwosu said that he also brought the Idea of changing the landscape of the state with eight lines roads in addition to introduction of first certificate of occupancy as well instrumental to establishment of Imo Geographical Information Agency.
“For me I don’t have any regret of what happened during the elections. If tomorrow you call me again, I will still be loyal to Okorocha not only being my in-law.
“I have worked with him from school days to date. Being his in-law is not the problem; for me it is the privilege to serve Imo people,” he added. (NAN)
January 9, 2020
Okorocha’s son-in-law returns to APC after Supreme Court loss
Governorship candidate of the Action Alliance, AA, during the 2019 general elections in Imo State, Uche Nwosu, has returned to the All Progressive Congress, APC.
Nwosu, who is married to daughter to former Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha, had defected from the APC to AA when he could not secure the ruling party’s ticket.
The Supreme Court had earlier in the month ruled that Nwosu was not qualified to contest the governorship election in the state.
The apex court held that Nwosu doubled as the candidate of the APC and that of AA which is against the electoral laws.
Speaking with journalists during the weekend, he said the apex court’s ruling on his double candidature confirmed that he is still a member of the APC.
“The Supreme Court has said all, it said I am the candidate of APC, what it means is that I’m the candidate of APC even though another person was foisted on APC,” Nwosu said.
“That aside, I have forgiven everybody, no matter what they have done, from the National Chairman to Gulak, to those in the state; what we need is to move ahead. We are brothers and sisters, there must be peace.
“You can only have one governor in a state and you can only have one final court and that is the Supreme Court – we have to accept it.
“For me, politics is not a do-or-die affair, its give-and-take. The Supreme Court has given its judgement, either good or bad, I have accepted it.
“What matters is Imo state. I’ve said in my statement, whoever wins at the Supreme Court, I will give my support, be it Emeka Ihedioha, Araraume or Uzodinma I will support. But in supporting if you do well, I will praise; if you don’t, we would criticise you.
“I have no regret at all. It is not my first time of running for a political position. I’m a politician and a town planner by profession. For now, politics is over, pending when there would be another election. I am still a young man and have age to my advantage.”
December 31, 2019