Police Arrest Rochas Okorocha In Abuja Hotel Over Alleged Forgery, Release Him On Bail

The Nigeria Police Force on Monday night arrested former Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha at the REIZ Continental Hotel in Abuja over allegations of criminal conspiracy, forgery and impersonation.

The arrest followed Okorocha’s alleged failure to honour repeated police invitations in connection with an ongoing criminal investigation, according to police sources.

The Force spokesperson, Aniete Iniedu, confirmed the development, saying the former governor was released on bail after about an hour of interrogation.

Iniedu said Okorocha had been directed to return to the Force Headquarters on Tuesday for further questioning as investigations continue.

The case centres on a disputed document linked to the All Progressives Congress senatorial primary for Imo West District held on May 18.

Governor Hope Uzodimma was declared the winner with 230,464 votes, while Okorocha reportedly received 1,098 votes. However, a separate document later emerged claiming Okorocha won with 150,780 votes.

The Independent National Electoral Commission petitioned the Department of State Services and the police over the disputed document, describing it as “fictitious” in letters dated October 5 and 8.

Okorocha had been invited to the Force Headquarters on September 2, but the appointment was rescheduled to September 8 at the request of his lawyers. He reportedly failed to appear on the rescheduled date.

Okorocha’s media office had earlier denied reports that a court issued a bench warrant for his arrest, challenging those behind the story to produce the order within 48 hours.

His Chief Press Secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo, said in a statement, “We want to strongly state, and we stand to be contradicted, that no court, whether that of a Senior Magistrate or High Court, ordered or issued any bench warrant for the arrest of Okorocha”.

Onwuemeodo also pointed to what he called a timeline inconsistency, noting that the alleged bench warrant was dated September 9 while the INEC petition was dated October 8.

Okorocha, who governed Imo State from 2011 to 2019 and later served as senator representing Imo West, had filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja in August against INEC, Uzodimma and the APC over the senatorial ticket.

The police have not disclosed full details of the evidence against Okorocha or the specific circumstances of the alleged offences. The allegations have not been established in court.