Says Imo CP aware of attacks
Calls for protection of Ikeng as he returns to Ideato
Hold Hope Uzodinma responsible if anything happens to Ikenga
Calls on IGP to investigate, redeploy Imo CP, cannot guarantee free, fair election
Restrict governor to his ward to avoid voter intimidation
They abandoned the vehicle after the bombing. Same squad, same mode of operation, IGP protect Ikenga, CP protect him, God protect him, we will hold Hope Uzodinma responsible if anything happens to him on his return to Ideato
Omamurhomuapho Thomas l Thursday, February 16, 2023
ABUJA, Nigeria – The faces behind attacks on House of Representative Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in Imo State, Chief Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere in Imo State have been unmasked in a video recording unveiled by members of the Coalition of United Political Parties, CUPP at a live press conference in Abuja.
The video, which was aired live on Arise News during the press conference revealed men armed with AK 47 riffles with protective vests and caps clearly marked Nigeria Police Force, NPF stormed the country home of Ikenga Imo Ugochere in Ideato, Imo State.
The men, about five of them combed the compound, destroying visible CCTV before ransacking bags and pocketing items from handbags found in the vicinity before moving into the duplex, where they found a young man charging his phones. There was an inaudible altercation between the assailants and the young man who should be in his twenties. He was hijacked and moved around, possibly inquiring about the where about of their target. Another officer was seen in the video picking up one of his phones which he pocketed. Another officer also armed with AK 47 rifle moved up through the staircases ostensibly in search for their target. Watch video HERE
They did not see Ikenga and left. Speaking during the press conference, Spokesman of the CUPP, Comrade Mark Adebayo said the officers, whom he identified as men attached to the Imo State Governor’s office, combined with special squad flown into from Abuja stormed Ikenga’s Ideato home to finish him off after they missed the target during the bombing incident in January 2023.
He said the vehicle that was loaded with the explosives drove all the way from Owerri, escorted hence it was not intercepted despite series of checkpoints and heavy presence of security personnel enroute Ideato.
The spokesperson, who said the video would be made available to Inspector General of Police, IGP Alkali Usman Baba for thorough investigation said Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere came under series of attack since he exposed compromise of the INEC register allegedly by agents of the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, widely acclaimed as the Omuma magic.
He explained that as a consequence of the leakage, his convoy was attacked, allegedly orchestrated by one Chinasa Onwumere. Chinasa was said to have made phone calls threatening Ikenga in a previous media outing.
Comrade Mark Adebayo alleged that the Imo State Commissioner of Police, CP Muhammed Ibanda now takes orders from Chinasa Onwumere whom he said was one of those hired by the Imo State Government to eliminate Ikenga. He said Chinasa tells anybody who cares to listen that nothing can happen to him.
He called on the IGP to investigate the CP of Imo State adding that the policemen that orchestrated the attack could not have acted without his consent. He said that during the January attack, the CP was called but failed to act and has done nothing to bring the culprit to book since the attacks.
“One policeman man first entered, stealing what is left of what people left behind. After two attempts on Ikenga, they are not letting go. This is a policeman from the Imo State Government House, a policeman in the state house. They believe they have destroyed all the CCTV cameras, they heard that Ikenga was in the house and they came again, Police Team Squad. Looking for ikenga to kill him and he stole the phone belonging to that young man he meant in the house.
“Ideato people quickly alerted Ikenga and that he should find a way to escape in Ideato. See this one clearly marked NPF, they are policemen in Imo State house, not unknown gun men, doing the bidding of a politician in government house. They do not represent the image of the police, the IGP must take action against this policemen and against the CP of imo state as this cannot take place without the consent of CP.
“They are not militias but policemen sent from Imo State governors office, armed police, they destroyed water tanks. The CP, Muhammed Ahmed Bande, knows about the attack on Ikenga, because they reached out to him and he said he has sent out his men.
“ Officers were flown in from Abuja to coordinate the attack in Imo on 12th of February. So the governor was waiting for the announcement of Ikenga’s death. Hope Uzodinma is behind unknown gunmen in Imo State”, he said, stressing that the video coincides with the utterance of the former governor, Rochas Okorocha who once said that unknown gunmen in Imo are sponsored by Uzodinma.
“So how many have been killed by Hope for refusing to align with him? How many will still go down? Chinasa has said no body can do anything to him. We insist that all attacks on Ikenga is politically motivated over revelation of Omuma magic. They now move from house to house in Ideato arresting supporters of Ikenga. He said whether IGP likes it or not, he will do whatever he wants. The governor said he will carry his chair and sit at Ideato on election day”, he said and called on the IGP, international observers, INEC and all other security agencies to note Ideato Federal constituency as a flashpoint as the governor has promised blood shed”.
He also called for the release of Jennifer Williams and his driver who were arrested and detained for over seven days now without charges by the Imo State Police command for conveying Ikenga’s voter education materials, which the Imo State police alleged to be INEC materials.
He said the lawyer that went to secure the release of the lady and his driver was equally detained and allowed to go after three days. The spokesman called on the Nigeria Bar Association to investigate the matter, challenging the police to take the matter to court if the educational materials were actually INEC materials. He called on President Muhammadu Buhari to release Kanu to him to separate genuine agitators with criminals in the south west.
“The CP of Imo is politically involved. We invite IGP, Police service commission to save the image of the police and call the Imo CP to order. The CP has other agenda and cannot guarantee free and fair election in Imo State. He now takes instruction from Chinasa Nwaneri. He should be redeployed and further investigated and he is aware of destruction of properties in Ideato.
“ Ikenga will not back down and will not run away from where he was born. He returns to his village tomorrow and the police must guarantee his safety. There must be no rigging in Ideato bc Ikenga will expose them”, he said.
He said the Imo State Governor has procured the service of a magistrate that will remand ikenga and put him away until the election, warning that he must not be arrested and poisoned and that the governor is under oath to safeguard all.
“ The CP should not be coordinating attacks on innocent citizens. How did the vehicle which conveyed explosives used to attack his house moved from Owerri and was not stopped by police checkpoints, they were escorted or granted pass into ideato.
“They abandoned the vehicle after the bombing. Same squad, same mode of operation, IGP protect him, CP protect him, God protect him, we will hold Hope Uzodinma responsible if anything happens to him on his return to Ideato, calls on people to come out and vote”.
He called on Hope Uzodinma to stop the blackmail and the attempted murder and that the people of Ideato should come out, vote and protect their votes and that the Imo State Governor should be restricted to his ward to avoid intimidation of voters.
