Weeks after former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Chibudom Nwuche, was arrested and clamped in detention, one of his aide has described the allegation of illegal possession of firearms, as not only false but also trumped up.
In press statement yesterday, Macklean Ezebuesor, media assistant to Nwuche said the search of the former lawmaker’s residence, wherein firearms were allegedly discovered, was politically motivated.
He said some politicians, who are afraid of Nwuche’s political fortunes, have engineered several petitions to the security and anti-graft agencies, with the view to tarnishing his image.
He expressed optimism that security and anti-graft agencies will not be fooled, as they are thorough in investigation and would definitely discover that the allegations are false.
Ezebuesor wondered why the former deputy speaker’s traducers are interested in a civil contract between a non-governmental organisation (NSO), where Nwuche is a trustee and the Amnesty office, if not to frustrate the business transaction, in order to cripple the former lawmaker financially.
He stated that even after searching Nwuche’s home, there was no huge amount of money discovered, while accusing those who executed the search of stealing Rolex wristwatch and Certificates of Occupancy (C of O), after which they planted firearms to incriminate him.
“These criminals, who infiltrated the search, are also suspected to have been behind the armed robbery by five men in military camouflage bearing AK 47 rifles the next day in Nwuche’s office, where they came to retrieve vital evidence and documents to cover their sponsors. These matters are still being investigated by the police to uncover those that stole C of Os, planted firearms and committed the armed robbery of November 29, 2016,” he said.
He said if firearms could suddenly surface, after Nwuche made spirited efforts to recover his C of Os and stolen items, there is no length his opponents will not go to incriminate him.
On his feeling about the transparency of security and anti-graft agencies, he said: “Nwuche continues to repose great confidence in our anti-graft and security agencies and knows they cannot be swayed into persecuting innocent people, as the truth will always prevail. They will, in the course of their diligent investigations, discover that the allegations and petitions are false, as you cannot dress a man known for humility, integrity and honesty in borrowed robes of criminality. We hope they will, at the appropriate time, turn their searchlight on these characters and prosecute them accordingly.”