Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State has denied any role in the arrest of Mr. Igboayaka O. Igboayaka, the former Youth President of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council. His response comes after widespread speculation on social media linking him to the incident.
The police had earlier announced Igboayaka’s arrest on February 10, following a petition filed against him by undisclosed individuals. According to the state police command, he was accused of spreading information that could disrupt peace in various communities in Ebonyi.
In a statement released by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Monday Uzor, it was noted that the allegations connecting Nwifuru to the arrest were false. The statement clarified that the governor, as the chief security officer of the state, remains focused on maintaining peace and justice rather than interfering in police matters.
“Nwifuru remains committed to protect the rights of all Ebonyi people. The governor’s role is to collaborate with security agencies to safeguard lives and properties and 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,” the statement read.
Uzor urged the public to disregard any claims suggesting that Nwifuru influenced the arrest. However, he commended the security agencies for their swift action in detaining Igboayaka.
“Igboayaka claimed responsibility for the attacks in Amegu, Nkalaha in Ishielu Local Government, which has attracted local and international attention. He should provide intelligence that would end killings and other communal skirmishes in future. The social media purveyors should be aware that Igboayaka not only claimed to be responsible for the attacks but knew when it was conceived and hatched,” the statement read.
Additionally, the statement noted that available intelligence reports do not indicate that Igboayaka has any affiliation with the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) or the Department of State Services (DSS).
