SENATOR ROCHAS OKOROCHA ARRESTED FOR UNLAWFUL ENTRY

For allegedly leading unauthorized entry into a sealed property and unleashing of mayhem, former Governor of Imo state, Senator Rochas Okorocha has been arrested by the operatives of the Police command.

Sen Okorocha had on Sunday unsealed one of the properties linked to him, the Royal Palm Estate located around Akachi towers, which consists of blocks of flats fully completed and furnished.

The State Government had sealed the property while Okorocha was alleged to have unsealed it in company of his loyalists.

Shortly after that, Special Adviser to governor Uzodimma on Special Duties, Hon Chinasa Nwaneri arrived the scene with security operatives to reseal the property and a fight ensued.

Information Commissioner, Hon Declan Emelumba, confirmed the development to newsmen via a telephone call.

He said “Yes, normalcy has been restored. Come to the Police command and see Okorocha. He has been arrested for unlawful entry and breakdown of law and order”.

Okorocha was alleged to have led loyalists to unseal a property linked to him, the Royal Palm Estate located around Akachi towers, which consists of blocks of flats fully completed and furnished.

The State Government had sealed the property while Okorocha was alleged to have unsealed it in company of his loyalists.

WE'LL REPEAT SAME ACTION WE TOOK AT LEKKI TOLL GATE ANYWHERE IN NIGERIA IF SUCH SITUATION ARISES AGAIN --ARMY

   Gen. Ibrahim Taiwo

The Nigerian Army has said that it will repeat same action it took at the Lekki Toll Gate anywhere in the country if such a situation arises again.

Ibrahim Taiwo, Commander of 81 Division of the Nigerian Army, disclosed this on Saturday while testifying before the judicial panel the Lagos State Government set up to probe the incident.

On the night of 20 October, 2020, at about 6:50pm, operatives of the Nigerian Army opened fire on peaceful# EndSARS protesters at the toll gate, killing an unconfirmed number of people.

Despite evidence of people being killed and injured at the Lekki incident, the army had maintained that blank bullets were used on protesters.

While being cross examined by Olumide Fusika, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Taiwo said given the same circumstance, the army would act in a similar way to that of October 20, 2020.

He insisted that there was no shooting of live ammunition at protesters.

JUDICIAL PANEL: I’M UNAWARE NIGERIAN ARMY CALLED LEKKI SHOOTING “FAKE NEWS” ON TWITTER – GENERAL TAIWO

   Brig. Gen. Ahmed Taiwo

Brig.-Gen. Ahmed Taiwo, Commander of the 81 Division, Military Intelligence Brigade, Victoria Island has said that he was unaware that the Nigerian Army Headquarters had described the shootings at the Lekki Tollgate as “fake news” on Twitter.

Taiwo made the disclosure on Saturday while being cross-examined at the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry for Restitution for Victims of SARS Related Abuses and Other Matters.

Responding to questions from Mr Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika (SAN), the counsel for some of the #EndSARS protesters, Taiwo said he was unaware of the denial by the headquarters of the Nigerian Army because he did not own a twitter account.

“Why did you tell lies, why did the army deny being at the scene?” Olumide-Fusika queried.

Taiwo denied telling lies and said that the Nigerian Army made the first statements because they did not have the full facts and the army was not sent to Lekki to break up the protest.

“I have not seen the denial that the Nigerian Army on twitter called their presence at the tollgate as fake news,”he said.

Following the General’s denial, Olumide-Fusika questioned him further about the Army’s denials.

“There is controversy between you and our Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, when you (Army) denied saying that it was fake news and the governor came out to say he saw some footage.

“Based on the Army’s tweets, Mr Abubakar Malami (SAN), the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) said the people that went to the tollgate must be hoodlums in army uniforms.

“Are you aware of the Army HQ handle on twitter? If you go to your HQ’s verified twitter account right now the denial is still there. I challenge you to go online now to see it.

“Are you not aware that information posted on the Nigerian Army twitter handle on Oct. 21 still exists till this day, aren’t you an intelligence officer?”the SAN queried.

Responding, Taiwo said Sanwo-Olu had made the assertion about seeing some footage before the army made any verification.

“I’m not aware of what the AGF said, I’m not on twitter. I’m speaking here as the most senior Army officer on ground and on behalf of the 81 Division.

“I’m not aware of the Nigerian Army HQ twitter handle, I do not follow it because I’m not on twitter,” he said.