The Chairman of Afikpo North local government, Uche Ibiam has denied abducting one Amobi Ujah, a member of the All Progressive Grand Alliance(APGA) in the state.
Mr Ibiam while reacting to allegations of abducting Mr Ujah raised by the party said he was arrested for vandalizing billboards in the area.
According to him, Ujah was in company of about four others destroying the billboards when he was arrested while the others managed to escape.
On the allegations that he plans to arrest one Iheukwumere Okogwu-Otu, Mr Ibiam explained that Mr Ujah made confessional statements that Okogwu-Otu was one of those who sent them.
He said Mr Okogwu-Otu had earlier called him to inform him that Mr Ujah was arrested and that he did not send him or anybody to destroy billboards.
The Chairman said he called Mr Okogwu-Otu to come to his office so that they could resolve the issue but he refused.
He said after he failed to show up after promising to do so repeatedly he had no choice than to hand Mr Ujah to the Police who have taken over the investigation.
"He made confessional statement. The matter is no longer in my hands so no one should accuse us of planning anything against them. It is now purely a Police affair.
"The police will investigate and if anyone is indicted, the Police will following the due process to arrest and prosecute whoever in found culpable. If you are innocent, you should not be afraid to go and answer Police summons", he said.
Mr Friday Nnanna-Ujor, the State Commander of the security outfit also reiterated that Mr Ujah was nabbed for vandalism and destruction of All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign materials.
He explained that contrary to the falsehood circulated in social media of the alleged frame-up, attack and beating of the suspect by men of the outfit, the suspect was caught vandalising and destroying campaign banners belonging to the All Progressive Congress (APC).
He said: “Don’t call it an attack, because attack is war-like. But, the truth of the matter is that the suspect, who is an APGA supporter in Afikpo North, was caught vandalising campaign banners and destroying billboards of APC candidates and so, my men arrested him.
“Nobody is framing anybody up as far as the issue of campaign billboards is concerned in Ebonyi, people will destroy campaign materials in the state and allege that APC members are responsible.
“Even in meetings, Gov. Dave Umahi has severally said that nobody should touch any campaign materials of any candidate despite party affiliations and so, we strictly keep to that instruction. And, even in this state, we have severally caught PDP members tearing billboards of PDP candidates.
“This is just to let you know that we are non-partisan and that we do our job without being biased; so, the boy was arrested for committing a crime.
“He was not framed up: he was not forced to confess, he was not attacked, he was arrested for committing a crime", he said. Ends.
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