Count Me Out Of Igboayaka’s Arrest, Says Nwifuru

Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru of Ebonyi State has denied any involvement in the arrest of the factional Youth Leader of Ohanaeze, Comrade Igboayaka O. Igboayaka.

Igboayaka was arrested by Ebonyi State Police Command in connection to a petition written against him over his statement on Amegu-Nkala recently bloody attack, claiming that he alerted the Governor of Ebonyi State before the attack.

The development fueled suspicion that Comrade Igboayaka was kidnapped, but the police came up to debunk the claim.

Though, Police did not mention the petitioner in its press statement debunking the allegation of kidnap of Igboayaka, but some persons have gone to the social media to accuse the Governor of Ebonyi State of being behind the arrest.

But a statement by Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Dr Monday Uzor,on Tuesday, the Governor denied the claim, saying, he has no business in the arrest.

“Let me categorically state that Governor Nwifuru has no involvement in any such arrest or police action against Comrade Igboayaka.

“As the Chief Security Officer of Ebonyi State, Governor Nwifuru remains committed to upholding justice, ensuring peace, and protecting the rights of all Ebonyians, including those who express concerns about security matters. It is important to clarify that the role of the Governor is to collaborate with security agencies to safeguard lives and property, not to interfere in law enforcement procedures.

“Any arrest or investigation by the Nigerian Police is purely within the jurisdiction of the security agencies, independent of any influence from the Governor.

“Governor Nwifuru condemns in strong terms the attack on Amegu Nkalaha and remains focused on ensuring that the perpetrators are brought to justice. The Governor, whose administration is anchored on the People’s Charter of Needs, is working closely with security agencies to enhance proactive measures that will prevent further attacks.

“While we urge the public to disregard any false narratives aimed at misrepresenting the Governor’s role in this matter, we should commend security agencies for the timely arrest of Igboayaka, who claimed responsibility for the attack, to provide intelligence that will permanently end killings and other communal skirmishes in the future”, part of the statement reads.