Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday barricaded the Maitama, Abuja residence of former Imo state governor, Rochas Okorocha.
They insisted that Okorocha should submit himself for arrest or honour a long-standing invitation to their office.
According to them, none of the members of Okorocha’s family would be allowed to leave the compound until they produced the former governor.
The operatives, who were later seen screening people going out and coming into the premises, also warned the mobile policemen attached to Okorocha to withdraw from the residence.
Under Hostage?
Reacting to ChannelsTV’s inquiry on the attempt to arrest him, the former governor said that he was being held hostage by the EFCC operatives.
He condemned the action of the team that has come to arrest him and vowed to remain indoors until he sees a warrant of arrest.
“I am (being) held hostage here, I would say,” Okorocha lamented. “I have enquired if they have an arrest warrant or not and I am supposed to be getting ready for screening.
“I don’t know what is really happening; it is unfortunate that this is happening here. I will be here until I know what they want, I want to see a warrant of arrest or court order.”
On January 31, the EFCC slammed Okorocha, who presently represents Imo West senatorial district, with a fresh set of corruption charges to the tune of N2.9 billion.
The anti-graft agency had filed the charges at the Federal High Court in Abuja about the same time the lawmaker declared his intention to run for the office of president in 2023.
He was accused of conspiring with others, including a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and five companies to steal from public coffers.
But the former governor has since denied any wrongdoing, stressing that it was not the first time he would be facing such action from the agency which he said was politically motivated.
According to him, the anti-graft agency has continued to disobey court orders relating to the alleged abuse of his fundamental human rights.
Okorocha, however, advised the EFCC not to allow itself to be a tool for politicians but investigate allegations and get real facts before taking action.
