Order Imo CP To Release Umuobom Traditional Ruler From Detention, Ugochinyere Tells IGP

The House of Representatives Member-elect for Ideato North/South federal constituency of Imo State, Ikenga Ugochinyere, has petitioned the Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, over the arrest of Eze Ekene Obinali, the traditional ruler of Umucheke in Umuobom, Ideato South local government area of the State.

LEADERSHIP reports that the monarch was arrested on Wednesday by operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Imo State Police Command for allegedly sharing on a WhatsApp platform a write-up that was said to be very critical of the State governor, Hope Uzodinma.

According to reports, the media content for which the monarch is being held in police custody had the headline, “Gov Hope Uzodinma in a fresh scandal.” The said report talked about the role of the late Ahmed Gulak during the 2018 Imo State governorship primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC) that produced Uzodinma.

Ugochinyere in a statement on Saturday, while calling for the traditional ruler’s immediate release from detention, described the arrest ordered by the state governor, Hope Uzodimma, as a show of hatred for Ideato people.

He urged the Inspector General of Police Usman Alkali Baba to direct the what he called the State-controlled Police Command to immediately release the traditional ruler from illegal detention.

According to him, Ideato people will never forgive the governor for the arrest and humiliation of their traditional ruler.

He lamented that the Imo State Government was arresting and flogging traditional rulers for expressing their personal opinions.