How Police Brutalized THE WHISTLER Reporter At Scene Of Rochas Okorocha’s Arrest In Imo

Just like many journalists did on Sunday February 20, 2021, I rushed to the Royal Spring Palm Estate – an estate belonging to the former Governor Rochas Okorocha’s family – following information that the Imo State Government planned to invade it.

The state government had said it was recovering state owned properties and had earlier recovered the Eastern Palm University from the Okorocha family. Okorocha, who is now the senator representing Imo West, has had a running battle with the state governor, Hope Uzodinma, over the later’s plan to recover state owned properties allegedly cornered by past government officials.

The government had sealed up  the Royal Spring Palm Hotel and Apartment inside the estate on Friday. But Okorocha went there with his loyalists and  drove away state security vehicles stationed there to ward off intruders, and destroyed the padlock to the gate to gain entrance into the estate

So, I had gone to the venue in anticipation of witnessing a huge confrontation and getting a story. But that was not to be.

In a counter move against Okorocha, Governor Uzodinma sent his Special Adviser  on Special Duties, Mr. Chinasa Nwaneri  and the Chief of Staff to the governor, Nnamdi Anyaehie, who came with thugs to the scene and a fight ensued between Okorocha’s loyalist and pro-government thugs.

Okorocha’s son-in-law, Uzor Anwukah, was thoroughly beaten while police shielded the senator. But his police orderly, Sam Adejor, was injured on the head.

Okorocha was later arrested by policemen who bundled him into a police Hilux van and took him to police headquarters in Owerri, alongside former Imo Transport Corporation chairman, Lasbry Okafor Anyanwu, former state coordinator on illicit drugs, Princess Igboanusi,  amongst others.

As the police arrested the former governor, thugs and hoodlums invaded the property, carted away valuables in the hotel , severely vandalized and destroyed vehicles in Okorocha’s convoy.

A stern looking police officer dressed infull combat readiness with a fully loaded AK 47 assault rifle  started shouting at the crowd that had gathered at the premises to leave. He saw me taking pictures and  accused me of making a video recording of the scene of vandalism and started beating me with his baton while asking for access to my phone.

I told the officer that I was a reporter and showed him my ID card. I also told him I was there to carry out my duty. He snatched my ID card and instructed me to open my phone so he could check.

I opened my phone and he saw some pictures I had already taken from the scene and that escalated the brutal assault he inflicted on me.

He called on his colleagues who rushed along and joined him to beat me down. One of the police officers used a wine bottle to hit my knee caps before ordering me to enter a police Hilux, threatening to lock me up in the state CID as they accused me of being a spy from the Okorocha camp.

An officer who I perceived was their superior spoke to the other officers in Hausa, took my ID card and after inspecting it asked that I unbutton my shirt to check if I was wired.

After frisking me and he didn’t see any of the suspected items on me, he shouted at me to exit the scene before they shoot me dead. “Ol’boy, comot here o. If I see you here again I go shoot you o,”he shouted.

I tried running but my knees were weak after the severe beating. But a Good Samaritan who saw the way I was brutalized came to my rescue and offered me a ride to safety and for medical attention.

He told me he saw the way the police “behaved like thugs” on drugs. I also told him I planned to consult my lawyer and the Imo State Police Command would hear from me.