Brutality: Ex-Minister’s Aides Slam N50m Suit Against Okorocha

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Wednesday, July 13th, 2016

By Ignatius Okpara, Imo

IMO, NIGERIA (AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Two aides to ex- minister of Interior, Captain Emmanuel Iheanacho, have instituted a N50 million suit against Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, for allegedly ordering his security details to beat them up.

AFRICAN EXAMINER gathered that Okorocha , who is the Chairman of the ruling All progressive Congress (APC) Governor’s forum and the former Minister had been at logger head, following outcome of the 2015 governorship election in the State which ushered Okorocha into office for 2nd tenure.

The victims, identified as Anthony Amadi and Chigozie Oparaku, according to them, were within the vicinity of Ihenacho’s house in Owerri, when Okorocha, allegedly led some government agents to bulldoze part of the building recently.

According to a source who did not wish to be quoted, revealed “when the team arrived, the duo brandished a copy of an order of court restraining the Governor from demolishing Ihenacho’s property.

“Angered by their action, the Governor unleashed his security details on them.”

However, an affidavit deposed to by Anthony Amadi and made available to newsmen Tuesday in Owerri, the Imo State capital claimed that “on the 7th of July, 2016, while at Captain Emmanuel Ihenacho’s house, they noticed agents of the Imo state government were advancing towards Ihenacho’s house with heavy equipment and with intent to demolish the property.

The source indicated they approached the engineer in-charge of the demolition and showed him a copy of the restraining order against the said demolition after which he obeyed and withdrew his equipment.

“About an hour later, the Imo state Governor, Rochas Okorocha in company of his full security detail came to Captain Ihenacho’s house and the Governor ordered the engineer to demolish Ihenacho’s house;

“We then went towards the Governor as much as the security details would allow us and showed him the court order; thereupon, the Governor ordered his security details to beat us up and arrest us”.

Amadi and Oparaku recalled that they were beaten for more than 30 minutes by more than 20 security details of the governor “just for daring to show them a restraining order of court against their illegal action.”

“At the end, we could hardly stand or walk, carried and dumped us at the Shell Camp Police Station without any medical treatment”.

“We were released on the fourth day with a charge against us.

“We were only told that we were detained on the orders of Governor Rochas Okorocha and that was exactly what was written on the incident board.”
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He added prior to the release, their lawyer, Amadi-Obi, had petitioned the State’s Commissioner of Police Taiwo Lakanu in a letter titled; “Reckless Exhibition of Power by Governor of Imo State”.

The lawyer, stated how his clients were viciously beaten and dumped in the cell without stating the offence he committed.