JUST IN: EFCC Finally Arrests Okorocha

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested former Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, Southeast Nigeria.

Gatekeepers News reports security operatives broke the entrance doors into the home of the former governor and whisked him away at 6:48 pm on Tuesday.

The Senator representing Imo West had earlier declined to be taken away by the operatives, insisting that he will not submit himself to the anti-graft agency without a warrant.

Some minutes before the officers broke into his home, Okorocha, in a live video made on his official Facebook Page alleged that officers of the commission had broken all his bulletproof doors.

He said, “The EFCC operatives are here with some gunmen and they have broken all my bulletproof doors. This may be my last appearance because I don’t know what they want to do.”

In the video Okorocha and his family members, were seen running around the living room in fear of the officers who were banging on the door leading to the living room.

Earlier on, security operatives accompanying officials of the anti-graft agency had shot sporadically to disperse female supporters protesting at the ex-governor’s home in a show of solidarity.

The women had come to protest the continued siege on Okorocha’s residence by the operatives, demanding an end to the siege.

However, the EFCC said Okorocha had refused to “honour invitations after jumping the administrative bail earlier granted him by the Commission,” and “left with no option than to effect the arrest of Senator Okorocha and bring him to trial.”

Although the Okorocha, who is running for President under the platform of the All Progressives Congress, accused the agency of holding him hostage in his own home and trying to block him from a presidential screening.

Background

On January 24, 2022, EFCC filed a 17-count criminal charge bordering on diversion of public funds and properties to the tune of N2.9billion against Okorocha.

The case was assigned to Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja. However, attempts to arraign Senator Okorocha was twice stalled owing to the absence of the Senator who evaded service of processes.

At the last adjourned date, March 28th, 2022, Justice Ekwo before adjourning until May 30th, 2022, had warned that it was “the last adjournment I shall grant in this matter”.

The EFCC, while making this clarification in a statement by its Head of Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, said “In the circumstances, the commission is left with no option than to effect the arrest of Senator Okorocha and bring him to trial.”