The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election, Mr. Peter Obi, has said recent speculations and reports claiming that he was arrested in United Kingdom are untrue.
He disclosed that he was neither arrested nor committed any offence in the country, stating that he was only stopped for a routine immigration check, “because there appeared to be a duplication of my identity.”
Obi mad the disclosure during an interview on Arise Television on Monday.
Obi said contrary to news reports, the interview with the immigration official lasted for about 20 minutes, adding that he was, “treated with all due respect” during the whole encounter.
He maintained that he never committed any offence in the UK from 1993 to 2005, when he lived in the country or found wanting in any part of the world.
He said, “I was never arrested; I was never detained and I didn’t commit any offence. I was stopped for a routine immigration check because there appeared to be a duplication of my identity.
“And all this lasted for a maximum of 20 minutes. And I was treated with all due respects. I have lived in the UK from 1993 to 2005. Not just that I live there; from that 1993 till now; it is a period of 30 years.
“I have never been questioned, arrested, detained in any country in the world. I have never for any reason found myself in any manner being questioned over any offence.”
The former Governor of Anambra State insisted, “I have not committed any offence and it was a routine immigration check and it lasted less than 20 minutes,
“I was actually given all the due respect by the boarder personality that interviewed me and who told me ‘Your identity is duplicated – be careful’, and actually had to walk me through what I can call the VIP process. And I have a written document from the British Government clarifying the situation.”
He said some Nigerians who arrived with him on the British felt traumatised over the development.
“People said I was detained, committed an offence and several offences or that his company was closed, he wasn’t paying taxes.
“For the years I lived in Britain, never had I been questioned,” he said.