By Chuks Okorocha
The anti Uzodima consortium have been meeting all through this week. Now, they have succeeded in bringing in Human Rights groups into the conspiracy. With this, they have become part of the official opposition in Imo State. Also there are signs that they are luring non-state actors. Money is playing big in consumating these alliances. Soon, you will hear them join the drum beats against Gov Hope Uzodima. So all will come out smoking: Ihedioha social media army, Rochas, Ararume and other junior state holders. Already, Hurilaws and Intersociety, an Onitsha based Human rights group have come out with an ultimatum to IG on Uche Nwosu.
Then the splinter group of Ohaneze led by Rochas boy..Chidi, who has been fighting Gov Uzodima for putting Dr. George Obiozor in power, came out with same demand asking IG for the result of the police investigation. These drum beats of war will intensify from this week. This week alone, there have been numerous anti-Uzodima propaganda in the social media all falsehoods that are not even masked as truth. Looks like in the gory war in Imo State, truth does not matter.
The focus seems to have shifted due to a lot of pressure on the public sphere by Rochas. But
this is what the story is about:
The police got some evidence linking Uche Nwosu and his in-law Sen Rochas Okorocha and hon Kingsley Uju to the funding, arming and remote control of arrested men who had been terrorizing Imo with violence, killings and arson. Their confessions were recorded. The IG sent for Uche Nwosu. Uche had been invited by police but he had been avoiding arrest. So, when they finally got him, he was in church. The police personnel in their anxiety and foolishness, bungled it by going into the church with arms and their faces masked. So the story became “the how” of the arrest not what the arrest was about. Ever since that incident, Imo has calmed down except for lockdowns. No more unknown gun men. In the minds of many observers, this makes the accusation of probable involvement plausible.
Since Nwosu’s, Rochas has mounted a media propaganda campaign and recruited many allies putting pressure on the police and government , trying to block every issue concerning the subject of investigation. The issue or subject of investigation which lead the police to the church was a probable linkage of Uche Nwosu and his in-law to acts of terrorism. They are shouting from all corners and recruiting allies to intimidate law enforcement from moving forward with the investigation and charging him to a court of law where he should defend himself. Even Senate has intervened to kill the case while on one side, Rochas has been on full throttle damaging Uzodima and the state. What is deeply disturbing is that almost three weeks after the incident, the Police has been silent. There are speculations that Rochas is doing everything to destroy evidence and block the chance of being arraigned. That’s what his relentless noise making is about. Rochas does not believe in the law. He sees himself above the law. He publicly threatened to make Imo ungovernable. And he did. Now, he seems worried about the consequences.
The interest of Imo people; the imperative to return social peace is primary in this matter. The Nigerian police should not fall for the orchestrated drum beats coming from a mega conspiratorial gang. The judicial panel set up by Emeka Ihedioha reported that Rochas stole over 250 billion from Imo state. All the violence, and disruptive activities by unknown gun men he is accused to have unleashed on Imo and the uncontrolled shouting in the media, are calculated to prevent the return of Imo people’s money.
Imo people want their stolen money and lands returned. What Rochas and his family did was an affront to the people; a brazen show of lawlessness.
Shifting the focus from the real subject is supporting the pillage of public funds on a scale incomparable with any previous cases in the history of Nigeria. Is Hurilaws justifying the shootings and killings of innocent Nigerians, the burning of public assets including police stations? A reputable human rights organization such as Hurilaws should also be interested in seeing that those who terrorized the people of Imo from January to December 2021are charged and punished no matter who they are. Such prolonged terrorism that cost many lives, resulted in loss of businesses and population flight is the worst human rights violation of all. A law NGO should want to get to the end of the matter instead of falling for the propaganda calculated to force a shift in focus from the real issue. But it is instead focusing solely on how the police bungled the arrest.
The Nigerian Police should demonstrate that no one is above the law. If there is evidence that Uche Nwosu and Rochas Okorocha were involved in funding, arming and directing the attacks in Imo and if they have had any linkage with previous acts of violence in the state, they should be charged to court without delay. No amount of hell-raising by the opposition must cause the police or the federal government to back down on the prosecution of the case. The Buhari administration should know that if it exempts Rochas and his in-law and allies in violence from facing the law, it will have no moral right to hold and prosecute the hundreds of young men who did far less. And it should be ready to witness a totally unmanageable crisis down the road as the inaction of government will embolden violent elements the more as the electioneering season approaches this year.
What is good for the goose is also good for the gander. Police should rap up that investigation without any more delay and prosecute those who have a case.
The Buhari government should show it is serious about the law.
* Okorocha wrote from the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja