The alleged kidnapping of Linus Okorie, the Labour Party senatorial candidate for Ebonyi South in the state, has been labelled “fake” by the police command in Ebonyi State.
SP Chris Anyanwu, Spokesman of the Command, in a statement he issued to newsmen in Abakaliki on Monday, said that Okorie was only arrested and not abducted.
He claimed that Okorie, a former member of the House of Representatives, had been detained for drug-related offences as well as a number of other crimes.
Anyanwu pleaded with the populace to stop spreading untrue rumours that would portray the state as unstable.
“Sequel to initial viral rumours renting the air, a Press Release accredited to one Dr David Ogbonna of the Linus Okorie CaringHeart Foundation, purporting that the former member of the House of Representatives was abducted on Sunday.”
The State Police Command swung into action and later traced the said Okorie, who had evaded many police arrests and invitations, to the head office of the Ebubeagu Security Outfit at the Old Government House.
“Police detectives were briefed on why he was arrested, which includes his activities and utterances that incited and provoked the violence that engulfed Onicha Community, which led to suspected gunmen unleashing mayhem in the area in 2021.”
Hence, the case has now been taken over by the Police Command for a scrupulous investigation.
Secondly, Okorie was severally invited by the Security and Intelligence Bureau of the Command over a petition dated March 23, authored by the State’s Attorney General/Commissioner for Justice, alleging that he was spreading fake news against Gov. Dave Umahi.
“When invited by the SIB over the false allegations/petition, Okorie, in his characteristic pompous manner, refused vehemently to report.” Rather, he chose to file fallacious suits against the Police Command.
“It is also pertinent to mention that Okorie also has a pending case in which he is implicated in a drug-related offence where the suspects purported to be his agents were arrested for hard drug sales and use at his City Hub Inn, Mile 50, Abakaliki,” the spokesman stated.