Rochas Okorocha, a former governor of Imo State, alleged on Sunday that the state administration had placed up for auction his personal vehicles, as well as those of his aides and a college that bears his foundation’s name.
The Imo West senator accused the Hope Uzodiinma-led administration of tyranny in a statement sent by his media assistant, Sam Onwuemeodo.
He said that on February 21, 2021, an argument involving Okorocha, his aides, and government representatives took place at the Royal Spring Palm Estate in Owerri, leading to the seizure of the aforementioned vehicles.
They had been at odds since since the governor took office in February 2020: Okorocha and Uzodinma.
After Uzodinma said he would look into prior state administrations, the issue arose.
The government had seized several properties linked to the former governor, claiming they were proceeds of fraudulent activities.
The Federal High Court in Abuja is currently hearing the case of Uzodinma, who is accused of defrauding N2.9 billion.
According to the police officers involved in the operation, Okorocha was brought to the Police Headquarters to meet with the CP.
“Others arrested were detained for weeks before 14 of them were arraigned at Magistrate Court 4 and charges levelled against them. They were granted bail after three sittings by the court and the matter has been going on.
“The expectation was that, the police who carried out the operation, must have taken into custody, all the vehicles recovered at the scene of the attack or incident, including buses belonging to ROCHAS FOUNDATION COLLEGE, and taken them to the Police Headquarters and not to the Government House.
“Or, the cars would have been taken to the court, where some of the owners of the cars recovered at the hotel, have been standing trial, especially when the vehicles may be tendered as exhibits in the course of the trial.
“Unfortunately, the vehicles were taken to the Government House and not to either the Police Headquarters or the court where some of the owners of the vehicles have been standing trial.
“The government has gone ahead to auction the private cars of the former governor of the state, those of his security personnel, those of his aides, political associates, those of Rochas Foundation College and so on, who were with him on the day the attack at Royal Palm Hotel took place. In doing that, they had thrown caution to the wind. And you ask, on what ground were the vehicles auctioned?”
The Imo State government is yet to issue an official reaction to the claims.