The arrested Imo Radio presenter, Theodore Chinonso Uba popularly known as Nonsonkwa has disclosed the reasons for his arrest. In a phone conversation with a friend of his, the presenter who contested for Mbaitoli/Ikeduru federal constituency seat in the last election, he is been accused of inciting Imo people against the administration of the Imo state government led by Senator Hope Uzodimma. Uba, disclosed further that he is presently at Maitama in Abuja where he is being interrogated by the federal police.
According to him, “they gave me the petition letter written by the government of Imo state against me where the Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, was accusing me of inciting the people and talking bad against the Ebubeagu Security Network.
“That I was telling the people that several cases of criminal activities including killings, kidnappings and arson, were carried out by Ebubeagu group. They accused me that i told Imo people that it is the Governor that is killing the people in the state. But i told the police that the Governor is never a member of the Ebubeagu group as to be part those killing the people.”
Meanwhile, the government of Imo state through its Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Declan Emelumba, has denied the news that filtered the air, stating the state government and the Imo police command has a hand in the arrest.
The Commissioner, in a release on Saturday, explained that it was the police in Abuja that arrested Chinomso Uba over allegations of libel bordering on threat to state security. The release reads, “The Imo State government has debunked the speculation that it ordered the arrest of a radio presenter, Mr. Nonso Uba because of his criticism of the Governor Hope Uzodimma administration. “It explained that rather the police in Abuja arrested him on allegations of criminal libel bordering on threat to state security. “The government noted that neither the style of his arrest nor the contents of his radio programmes was the issue, but the defamatory statement by Mr. Uba that Governor Hope Uzodimma and Alhaji Asari Dokubo were responsible for the killings in Imo State.
“As a law-abiding government, it sought the help of the police to investigate and substantiate the veracity or otherwise of the allegations. “His Excellency swore an oath through the constitution to protect lives and property of the people, and here you have someone accusing him of breaching that oath, which is an impeachable offence.
It is only natural for the institution charged with investigation to look into the matter.” It further said, “the government noted that since it is trite in law that he who alleges should provide proof, it was necessary for the police to invite Uba to prove his allegations. “Nobody should teach the police how to go about their assignment, insisting that those who arrested Uba were on uniform and didn’t hide their identity. “However, it is regrettable that instead of people to address the real issue, which is criminal libel against the governor, they are now presenting Uba as the victim.
“The real victim here is Governor Hope Uzodimma. If it were in some society, people would have taken arms against him based on that seditious publication by Uba. Free speech does not give him the license or immunity to set the state on fire. Being the so-called activist is not a license to destroy the state. Let him hand the proof of his allegations to the police,” he insisted.
According to him, “I am sure that the police will not hesitate to release him today if he gives them the proof that Uzodimma and Asari Dokubo are responsible for killing people in Imo state.” The commissioner stated that those calling on the release of the OAP are making a mistake as he stated that the government does not have any hand in the arrest.
It would be recalled that Nonsonkwa was whisked away on Thursday, by operatives of Nigeria police force in Owerri after a radio program in Oziza FM station belonging to Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri, Assumpta Cathedral.
