BY BARTH EZE & ORIAKU IJELE
Imo State Police Command has detained the traditional ruler of Owerre-Ebeiri metropolitan town, in the Orlu Local Government Area of Imo State.
The traditional ruler, Eze George Uzoma, the Eze Ukwu 11 of Owerre-Ebeiri Ancient Kingdom and popularly known as Otawuike, was arrested by the operatives of the Tiger Base Unit of the Criminal Investigation Department of Imo State Police Command, on February 2024, and has since then remained in the custody of the State Police Command in Owerri.
He was arrested on the allegations of avalanche of criminal activities ranging from kidnapping to murder, armed robbery, and unlawful possession of dangerous firearms, to criminal extortion of residents of Owerre-Ebeiri.
According to a police source, George was arrested at his palace with credible intelligence and has been in detention for four months without trial by the Imo State Police Command.
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Eze George was allegedly fingered as a major kingpin in the plethora of criminal activities going on in Owerre-Ebeiri and its environs.
Also alleged to be part of the gang are Mr Faith Odozor, Mr Chijoke Okereke, Mr Suwa and Eze Umuokobia who are said to be at large at the moment.
It was gathered that they are being accused of having a hand in the kidnapping of Chief Casmir Uzogho, a philanthropist who worked as an Accountant General of Imo State under the governorship of Rochas Okorocha.
According to police investigations, the troubled monarch was part of the criminal gang that kidnapped Uzogho and forced him to pay a ransom of N100,000,000 (One Hundred Million Naira).
A police source alleged that HRH, Eze George Uzoma, got the sum of N20, 000000. 00 (Twenty Million Naira) as his share of the loot.
Also the gang is alleged to be part of those who kidnapped one Mr Andrew Dike, alongside his red Toyota Corolla car at a walking distance to Eze’s residence in December 2021.
According to the residents of Owerri Ebeire, Eze George made no efforts to find out the people who had hands in the kidnapping.
The victim was said to have paid the sum of N5,000000.00 (Five Million Naira), as ransom to regain his freedom, while his red Toyota Corolla car has not been found.
It was learnt that in 2022, one Mr Lawrence Adioha was also kidnapped while serving as burial committee chairman for the funeral of Mr Godwin Dike.
According to the residents, the children of the Late Godwin Dike in their efforts to bury their father, created a Whatsapp group and added friends from diverse parts of the world and the sum N10, 000000.00 (Ten Million Naira), realised from the collection, and Mr Lawrence Adioha’s bank account details were provided for sympathisers to pay in their financial contribution but two weeks before the funeral, Lawrence Adioha was kidnapped and the whole money taken off him by his captors as ransom.
According to residents, one Mr Chicago, the community’s Chief Security Office was abducted and killed after the assailants labelled him a member of ESN (IPOB).
Also, the gruesome assassination of Mr Chimezie, who was shot randomly few steps to Eze George’s palace, and countless cases of snatching of motorcycles and dispossessing of mobile phones from the unsuspecting citizens are said to have carried out by the gang.
Sunday Times investigations showed that HRH Eze George Uzoma, Sir Pius Ogeine and Mr Emmanuel Okereke are still held in the police custody with no signs and expectations of charging them to court for trials and prosecution.
“Shortly after the arrest of Eze George Uzoma, the police gathered that certain Mr Faith Odozor, Sir Pius Ogeine (KSM), Emmanuel Okereke, Chijoke Okereke famously known and addressed as Eze Orlu, Eze Umuokorobia and a man simply identified as Suwa played different roles in the series of criminal activities that have been reigning supreme in Owerre-Ebeiri town.
“Before the arrest of these men, stakeholders, and crème de la crème in Owerre-Ebeiri technically went on exile for threat of being kidnapped, murdered, and robbed. Young ladies were also in perpetual fear, as HRH Eze George Uzoma and his Palace Secretary were suspected to be sexually harassing them, and any attempt to resist, would land them in pitiable situations, a resident who pleaded anonymous for fear of being attacked said.
According to the resident, the list of criminal activities that had occurred before the arrest of these men are ( but are not limited to) the abducting and killing of Mr Chicago, the community’s Chief Security Officer.
“He was labelled as a member of ESN (IPOB), the gruesome assassination of Mr Chimezie, who was shot randomly few steps to Eze George’s palace, and countless cases of snatching of motorcycles and dispossessing of mobile phones from the unsuspecting citizens,” the source claimed.
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