.Ex-Imo gov cringes on the floor, begs for help as security agents break down residence’s bullet proof door amid gun shots
. ‘Help me God, come and rescue me! This is my last appearance. They are coming in to shoot,’ he cries
There was a drama on Tuesday evening as operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission broke into the Abuja residence of former Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha, to effect his arrest after about nine hours of a standoff.
Sources said as the EFCC and security operatives forced their way into Okorocha’s home after destroying the bullet proof main door, the Senator and others holed up with him in the house were found cringing on the floor and begging God for help.
Earlier in the day, the EFCC operatives had stormed the Maitama, Abuja home of the All Progressives Congress presidential aspirant to effect his arrest, but he had insisted on not surrendering himself to them without the officials first showing him a warrant for his arrest.
But after about nine hours of siege to his residence, the security operatives fired gunshots and teargas canisters to scare away protesters, who had also besieged the house, singing solidarity songs in his support.
After clearing the area of the protesters, who scampered to safety alongside journalists and others keeping vigil at the scene, the heavily armed security operatives broke into Okorocha’s apartment and whisked him away.
Sporadic gunshots rent the air as the operatives broke down the bullet proof main door and forcibly entered Okorocha’s expansive sitting room where he, his family members and aides were all found cringing and laying on the floor to avoid being hit by stray bullets.
Trembling with fear and crying, Okorocha reportedly pleaded, “Please help! Call for my rescue. Come and help me, my Lord, My God. Come and rescue me.”
The former governor was said to have later appeared in a video saying that was his last appearance for the night.
Before dodging, he quickly said, “EFCC is here with some gunmen; they have broken all my bullet proof doors. This is my last appearance. They are coming in to shoot.”
After his arrest by the EFCC operatives, Okorocha’s aides were said to have insisted that he won’t be taken away, resulting in a heated argument with the anti-graft agency’s officials.
He was later forced into a white Toyota Hiace bus by the EFCC operatives, who then whisked him away.
It was learnt that Okorocha will be detained at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja till May 30 when he will be arraigned in court.
The former Imo governor had earlier told newsmen that he didn’t know why the anti-graft agency would lay siege to his house and hold him hostage.
But EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, had in a statement later on Tuesday, accused Okorocha of refusing to honour the commission’s invitations to him after jumping the administrative bail granted him and evading service of court processes.
He said the EFCC had on January 24, 2022, filed a 17-count charge against Okorocha over N2.9billion alleged fraud, before Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
