Afrigather CaringHeart Basis has raised the alarm over an alleged plot to rearrest the ‘kidnapped’ Ebonyi State senatorial candidate of the Labour Occasion, Linus Okorie, and slam contemporary fees towards him.
Okorie was reportedly kidnapped on October 17, 2022, whereas driving out of his Abakaliki residence to the Onicha Native Authorities Space of the state, the place he was to have a gathering along with his supporters.
His whereabout was unsure all through Sunday till information filtered in on Monday morning, October 18, that he was arrested by members of the Ebubeagu Safety Outfit in liaison with the Nationwide Drug Legislation Enforcement Company, over alleged illicit drug dealings.
However the NDLEA State Commandant, Iyke Uche, denied ever figuring out the whereabouts of the previous lawmaker, saying the company neither met him nor arrested him.
Nonetheless, the Ebonyi Police Command, identical day, insisted the LP chieftain was moderately arrested on the grounds of his illicit drug involvement within the state, saying he was neither kidnapped nor kidnapped.
He has been in detention on the facility of the Nigerian Correctional Providers for the previous one month.
This newest allegation is contained in a press release signed and issued on Monday, by the Basis’s Director, Dr. David Ogbonna, claiming the suspect was now not protected on the NCS jail custody.
The assertion learn partly, “There may be an alleged plan by the Ebonyi State Authorities in connivance with Nigeria Police to re-arrest Hon. Linus Abaa Okorie and arraign him in Ebonyi State Courtroom with new trumped up fees/petition any day he’s granted bail by the Courtroom or whereas nonetheless in detention.
“The latest happenings throughout Courtroom appearances of Hon. Linus Okorie is suggestive of a clandestine plan by the Ebonyi State Authorities to rearrest him any day the Courtroom grants him bail.
“The final two occasions that Hon. Linus appeared in Courtroom, the police had refused giving again up safety to the correctional facility officers from the jail to the court docket, however would moderately mobilise their males closely into the court docket premises and even into the court docket room.
“The opposite day, all of us noticed how the police backed-out from securing Hon. Linus from the court docket to the Correctional Centre, thereby making him susceptible to the assault of actors of Ebonyi State. It took the unbiased and gallant intervention of the DSS to safe him that day after the automobile conveying him was ambushed by gun males suspected to be males of Ebubeagu Safety Community.
“We’re conscious of a perfected plan by the Ebonyi State Legal professional-Common, performing on strict directive of the Ebonyi State Governor, to arraign Hon. Okorie earlier than a state Excessive Courtroom on Wednesday, twenty third November 2022 or any second from now after such try made on Monday, November 21, 2022 failed flat by way of the manipulation of divine palms.
“Our intelligence gathering throughout the state unequivocally revealed additionally that ought to the primary choice fail, a second choice is already allegedly hatched by Ebonyi State Authorities working in cahoot with the Commissioner of Police, within the state, to re-arrest Hon. Linus Abaa Okorie, any day the Courtroom grants him bail, trump up new petition/fees and go over the circles once more simply to maintain him in detention until after 2023 normal elections.”
Reacting, Governor David Umahi described the allegation as laughable and baseless, saying he didn’t want any underhand techniques to win on the polls, come 2023.
His Particular Assistant on Media and Technique, Mr Chooks Okoh, said this in a phone interview with our Correspondent, on Tuesday.
He stated, “It’s laughable to say that Governor David Umahi is unpopular in Ebonyi South. Very laughable. Which politician, dwelling or useless can level to achievements within the zone or state greater than Umahi? Campaigns are based mostly on antecedents of the gamers.
“What’s going to some other contender level to as achievement positioned facet by facet Umahi? He doesn’t want any underhand techniques to win an election that’s already his. As for the case of the Labour Occasion candidate, I actually can not touch upon a matter that’s clearly sub judice. It’s earlier than a number of courts of legislation. As for the senatorial seat, Umahi’s works will take him there.”
The Ebonyi Police Command, couldn’t be reached for remark as of the time of submitting this report.
The Commissoner for Police within the state, Aliyu Garba, who advised our Correspondent that he was in a gathering, stated, “There isn’t a bother anyplace within the state. All over the place is okay. However I’m in a gathering with the Commandant of Civil Protection. I’ll get again to you.”
