Anambra Police Denies Arrest of Gunman Allegedly Sponsored by APC Candidate, Uba

David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka

The Anambra State Police Command has denied reports circulating on the social media, said to be a confessional statement made by a gunmen arrested by police operatives in the state.

In a report being circulated on the social media, an alleged gunman with the name Elijah Okoh, who hails from Ebonyi State, but resides in Okpoko was said to have confessed to collecting an initial N5million from candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Andy Uba to kill and create an atmosphere of insecurity in the state.

Andy Uba campaign organisation, while reacting to the rumour has described it as fake news targeted at Uba to discredit him because of his popularity.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations), Anambra State Command, DCP Aderemi Adeoye who reacted to the rumour said no suspect who matches the name mentioned was recently arrested or in its custody.

Adeoye, who spoke to THISDAY on behalf of CP Echeng Echeng, described the trending news tagged: ”My Gang Was Paid Millions By Andy Uba To Kill And Maim In Anambra” as strange as far as the Police in the State is concerned The CP notes that there is no suspect who has made such disclosure in the custody of the police.

“There is no one in the description given that is in our custody. No one is above the law and if any such disclosure was made against anyone, whoever might be indicted in any crime would have been pulled in for questioning.

“We therefore, urge the general public, particularly, the good people of Anambra State not to panic.

“The CP equally implores well-meaning individuals especially the members of the fourth estate of the realm to discard sentiment and to assist the Police in the Command by reporting security-related issues in the most professional and objective manner.”

In a press release, the Director of Media and Publicity of the Senator Andy Uba Campaign Organisation(SAUGCO), Hon Afam Ogene, said: “Once again, it has become necessary for Senator Andy Uba Governorship Campaign Organisation, to react to a last ditch attempt by the outgoing All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) administration to affront the victory march of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in this week’s gubernatorial election in Anambra State.

“On the heels of the development, the APGA appears to have taken a recourse to whipping up sentiments against Senator Andy Uba.

“This time, using a poorly scripted propaganda material, they claimed that a certain nondescript character, allegedly, ‘confessed’ that Distinguished Senator Andy Uba contracted him to cause mayhem in the state.

“The general public is advised to ignore this concocted tale which could only have emanated from the jaundiced imagination of crude propagandists.

“Senator Uba, despite having devoted the greater part of his adult life to the service of ndi Anambra and Nigeria, is a widely acclaimed perfect gentleman who not only detests violence, but has also never being associated with anything of the sort.

“If the said Elijah Okoh, said to be a revenue agent, is not a fictitious character created solely for the aim of reputational damage, then he must be an acolyte of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA and its leader, Governor Willie Obiano, who employs all revenue agents in Anambra state. The said Elijah Okoh is a revenue agent according to the imaginative tale, which puts him directly under the watch of Willie Obiano who supervises Revenue Agents in Anambra state.

“In fact, we challenge Governor Obiano and the many propagandists in his employ, to produce the said Elijah Okoh, or forever quit playing silly games and face up to the elections holding in few days’ time,” Ogene said.