Imo state governor, Rochas Okorocha, has claimed responsibility for the release of the 112 Pro Biafra women that were incarcerated in the state, after a peaceful protest in Owerri.
Vanguard gathered Saturday in Owerri that not only Okorocha, other politicians in the state, seeking elective positions had also claimed how they single-handedly struggled for the pro Biafra women to be freed from Owerri prison.
This is coming after Okorocha had been bashed by Pro Biafra groups for allowing Biafra supporters get arrested and imprisoned in a state he is governing.
Recall Vanguard reported that the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign Stare of Biafra, MASSOB, under Uchenna Madu, called on Okorocha to apologize to Igbo leaders on the arrest and incarceration of Pro Biafra women in Owerri Prison.
But immediately after the Women were freed by a high court in Owerri, unconditionally, the story changed that it was as a result of Okorocha’s intervention.
Swiftly, the Imo state Police Public Relation Officer, PPRO, Andrew Enwerem, wound up with a release crediting the outcome to Okorocha and the state Commissioner of Police, Dazuki Galadanchi.
According to the statement, “Release of the detained IPOB women, the Imo State Governor, His Excellency, Owelle Anayo Rochas Okorocha, OON in collaboration with the Commissioner of Police, Imo State, CP Dasuki D. Galadanchi has graciously intervened in the immediate and unconditional release of the over 100 IPOB women who were remanded by the court in Owerri for unlawful assembly and breach of public peace.
“The magnanimous intervention for the release was sequel to appeals by concerned individuals who had promised that there will be no repeat of such public disorder in the State by the proscribed group.
“The Commissioner of Police, CP Dasuki Galadanchi has advised that there would be no meaningful development in the State without an atmosphere of peace and tranquility.
“The Commissioner of Police warned that the Police Command will not accommodate lawlessness and attempts by any person or group of persons whose stock in trade is to cause mischief and breakdown of law and order in the State.”
However, in what seems like putting the record straight, Lawyer to the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, told Vanguard that
[/b]The attention of IPOB legal team has been drawn to injurious falsehood making round the social media platforms and news prints, to the effect that some people have represented themselves to the general public as IPOB lead Counsel that played active role in the release of IPOB women, and discharged by Imo state Chief magistrate court.
“As IPOB general counsel, I led other distinguished IPOB lawyers throughout the proceedings at Owerri Magistrate court, filed necessary processes before the High Court of Imo state for their releaese.
“Through which medium the AG Imo state became fully seized of the facts of the gross violation of the fundamental rights of our mothers, and inhuman treatment meted out to them by the Nigerian police.