The Nigeria Police Force has released former Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha on bail after questioning him over allegations of criminal conspiracy, forgery and impersonation.
Okorocha, who represented Imo West Senatorial District in the National Assembly, was reportedly arrested on Monday night at the REIZ Continental Hotel in Abuja and released after approximately an hour of interrogation.
The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Anietie Iniedu, was reported to have confirmed the arrest and subsequent release, adding that the former governor had been directed to return to the Force Headquarters on Tuesday for further questioning.
However, attempts to independently confirm details of the interrogation were unsuccessful, as the police spokesperson reportedly did not respond to phone calls seeking clarification.
The police have not publicly provided detailed information about the allegations or disclosed the specific acts Okorocha is suspected of committing. Investigations are said to be ongoing, and the allegations have not been established in court.
The arrest reportedly followed Okorocha’s failure to honour earlier police invitations issued as part of the investigation.
He was initially asked to appear at the Force Headquarters on September 2, but the appointment was rescheduled to September 8 after a request from his lawyers. Reports indicate that he did not attend the rescheduled appointment, leading to further action by the police.
The police were also reported to have obtained a bench warrant to compel his appearance for questioning.
As of the time of the report, Okorocha had not been reported to have been formally charged with any offence in connection with the investigation.
His release on bail does not amount to a determination of the allegations, which remain subject to police investigation and any subsequent legal proceedings.
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