Uche Nwosu, former Action Alliance (AA) Governorship Candidate in Imo State, has said his abduction on Sunday, December 26, 2021, by the security operatives attached to the Imo State Governor would have ended as a case of unknown gunmen if not for the support of Nigerians exploring the power of the social media.
According to Nwosu, his abduction which was led by SP Adamu Shaba (Chief Security Officer to Imo State Governor) took place on a fateful day at his hometown when he was still observing the funeral rites of his late mother at St. Peter’s Anglican Church, Eziama-Obaire.
In a statement on Monday, January 3, he thanked Nigerians at home and in the diaspora, friends, families and well-wishers, for the prompt responses in exploring in entirety the power of social media and solidarity displayed towards his ordeal.
He said if a person of his calibre who has held various government offices as a one time commissioner, former deputy chief of staff to the governor of the state and the governorship candidate of AA in 2019, could be meted with this kind of treatment and taken away in the premises of God in a commando-style without a warrant, he wonders what would be of the fate of ordinary citizens and commoners in the state.
Nwosu while commending the immediate past Governor of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha, Inspector General of Police and National leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) for the roles played, professionalism in handling the issue and strongly condemning the move respectively, revealed that there are salient questions about his arrest begging for clarifying answers which Nigerians are curious to know about.
“On behalf of my family, I want to sincerely appreciate all my aides, friends, associates and Nigerians, both home and in Diaspora who raised the alarm over my abduction by security operatives attached to the Imo State Governor led by one SP Adamu Shaba (Chief Security Officer to the Governor of Imo State) on Sunday, December 26, 2021.
“That day will remain indelible in our memories as it once again revealed to us the power of social media in changing our system.
“If not for your prompt responses to the alarm raised by my aides on ground in my home church at the St. Peter’s Anglican Church, Eziama-Obaire in Nkwerre LGA of Imo State, it would have been another case of the unknown gunmen.
“Like I said in most of the interviews I granted, I have continued to emphasize that the issue is not just about me.
“I am so lucky because my families, friends and well-wishers across the country and outside the country.
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“What about the youths and the ordinary men and women on the streets who do not have people that can speak for them?
“if a former Governorship candidate, former Chief of Staff and former Commissioner like me could be treated this way in the name of arrest without any prior invitation or warrant of arrest, I wonder what could be the fate of the ordinary man in Imo State.
“It’s about the desecration of the church and altar of God.
“Even as the dust of that commando abduction is dying down, some of the pertinent questions that Nigerians and the International community need urgent answers to are:”
(a) Who ordered for my abduction on Sunday, December 26, 2021, while I was still observing the funeral rites of my beloved mother?
(b) Can Imo State Government provide the acknowledgement copy of the Police invitation sent to me or the call log of the telephone conversation with me since the Governor’s spokesman ( Commissioner for information) alleged that I bluntly refused to Honor several invitations from the Nigeria Police Force?
(c) Why did the so-called Police officers attached to Governor’s office all masked invade the church while the service was still in full session and dragged me out while shooting sporadically inside the church also leading to the abrupt dismissal of the service?
(d) Who paid for the private jet that conveyed me to Abuja from the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu State?
Was it the Nigeria Police Force or the Imo State Government?
“As we await clarification on the above nagging issues and more, I want to use this opportunity to thank God Almighty for saving my life, His Excellency Senator Rochas Okorocha, the Inspector General of Police for his professionalism in handling the matter.
“I want to also thank Anglican and Catholic Bishops, National leadership of the Christain Association of Nigeria, other members of the clergies, Human rights activists from across the world, Gentlemen of the press, and Nigerians of goodwill who strongly condemned this dehumanizing act meted on me and my family”, he said.
