Citizen Ikenna Samuelson Iwuoha, the Nkwerre-born social crusader, came to limelight during the administration of former Governor of Imo State, Sir Ikedi Ohakim, whom he fought. He alleged that Ohakim flogged him in Government House, Owerri, and subsequently became one of those who fought to ensure that Ohakim did not have a second term in office. At the dethronement of that administration, and on enthronement of the Governor Rochas Okorocha-led administration in Imo State in 2011, Iwuoha was made the Special Assistant (SA) to the Speaker of lmo State House of Assembly, Chief Benjamin Uwajumogu. But in 2013, things fell apart between them at the State House of Assembly and Citizen Iwuoha eventually resigned his appointment as SA (Media) to the speaker. Months later, he was framed up and sent to prison. He spent a total of 328 days with his wife sharing the pains, before the case was quashed on April 27, 2015 at High Court 4, Owerri, where Justice Irene Duruoha Igwe presided.

In this interview, Citizen Iwuoha (shown in photo) recounts the incident that led to his incarceration and how he came out of prison. Excerpts.

Question: What actually happened?

Samuelson Iwuoha: The truth of the matter is Benjamin Uwajumogu: You know I exposed him. That is just the simple truth.

How has that benefited the state or solved anything?

In the first place, the state governor, Rochas Okorocha, said that he is going to fight corruption. Even, he initiated the Imo Anthem, and in it, one of the stanzas says, ‘Corruption must stop!’ So at the office, I saw what was going on and I tried calling Uwajumogu to order. I told him: ‘Look, you did not give me appointment as a politician. I accepted the appointment because I am a social crusader. So, there is no way I will be here and things will be going wrong and I will not talk.’

Yes, in our office, we were like a family. So, naturally, nobody should expect me to come out and start talking about what was happening; but within us, I made him to understand that people should be reasonable. I did not accuse him directly because accusing him directly while I was under his authority would be an act of insubordination. I accused the chief of staff and senior aides directly, because they were very fraudulent and fetish. Then, I used my own department, the media, as an instance to let the speaker know what was happening. But the speaker didn’t like it. He never liked it at all, because investigating the chief of staff meant also investigating him. Because, for every hundred naira stolen by the Chief of Staff Kodichi Anamekwe, the speaker knew of it; and that is the simple truth.

So rather than him taking action, he wanted all the senior aides to swear to an oath. Yes, that was how the problem started. So, sometime in May 2013, I got a text message sent by the SA Admin, Mr Kingsley Nkemka, now late. He said that if we arrive at the office, we should head straight to the speaker’s house. So when we arrived at the speaker’s private residence in Umuguma, we were all ushered into his bedroom, eight of us senior aides. For me, I knew I was the target. We saw a native doctor in his bedroom. The speaker himself was stark naked.

Jeeeeez!

I’m telling you, he was stark naked. Well, you are interviewing me now, that’s why am saying it. I wanted to do a comprehensive account so that the whole world will know and I will still do it. The speaker was stark naked; with a native doctor, then the Chief of Staff Kodichi and his mother. The mother is the head of the ghost workers.

Whose mother?

Kodichi. In my petition to the EFCC, I also mentioned her name. I’m sure you read the letter?

Yes.

So it was the woman that addressed us before the native doctor will call your name. He will make some pronouncements, which you will repeat after him; he will now give you that fetish thing, you would drink and go to where Uwajumogu was standing and then kiss his manhood, and all that. I was the only person that refused to do that. In fact, that was why I was suspended, do you understand? (Laughs) and not even that I did anything wrong. The thing was… but I fought my way back and the battle continued.

So the truth of the matter is that in any socio-political gathering or call it office or whatever, you are bound to meet such things because people will be fighting for positions. But as for me as a crusader I saw a lot. They planned to kill me on several occasions but they didn’t succeed. So eventually I resigned on 17^th of December 2013. If I did not resign on that day, they would have killed me. And, of course, many people died in that office. One of the police orderlies following the speaker was poisoned to death because when he followed the speaker to Ihitte/Uboma, sometime in October in 2012, he didn’t like what he saw. So when he came back, he complained to us that he saw how a young lady was killed and buried inside the compound. Of course, the young lady was used for ritual. So he was poisoned so that people wouldn’t know. And, of course, Emmanuel Adoba was killed as well. But the outside world was made to believe it wasn’t political.

While I was in prison, Nkemka was also murdered. The style of killing was the same. Even they came here wanting to kill me, of which by the grace of God I was not around, eventually, Architect Franklin Okoli was killed. It is still the same thing. So the truth of the matter is that when I resigned, for me, I didn’t initially start to accuse the speaker. I started with the chief of staff and other aides, before I now summoned enough courage to confront my boss. I alerted the governor. Of course, the governor is one of them. They are all the same people, members of the Reformed Ogboni Fraternity. As I’m saying this, I want people to know what is going on in the state. That is the simple truth. The governor is a Grand Master of the Reformed Ogboni Fraternity. The speaker is a nominal member of the Reformed Ogboni Fraternity. And the current Chief Judge, Hon Justice Paschal Nnadi, is also a Grand Master of the Reformed Ogboni Fraternity. Everything is just Ogboni Fraternity all the way: if you don’t believe in their system or if you don’t toe their line, they will look at you as somebody who has come to spy on them. Or, at least, you take an oath.

Then, the issue of homosexuals is a terrible thing. The speaker is not a homosexual. I will stand on the truth but, of course, the truth of the matter is that many people at the executive arm of government, more than 85 per cent of them, are homosexuals, and I‘m going to publish their names. Both elected and appointed political appointees. They have all been initiated. Then is it drug addiction? Hard drugs!

What of the women political appointees?

That’s what I’m saying. Homosexual and lesbianism are incorporated. I will talk. I am not afraid. Or is it burying of charms prepared with new-born babies, and even adopted babies, killing of people? Do we talk of the kidnap of the Principal Secretary to the former Deputy Governor, Sir Emenike Ihekwoaba? Do we talk about the brutal murder of Laz Anyanwu?

But I understand you were framed up and sent to prison?

Yes, on the issue of the murder of Architect Franklin Okoli, the speaker, having been frightened, because I forced him to set up a panel and he refused. I went to EFCC. Then the governor was afraid. The governor now made a u-turn and went on a local government road assessment tours and openly indicted the speaker. It was all over the news and the speaker himself made a u-turn and set up a kangaroo panel. While they were still inside the chambers, I did my press release and described the panel as April Fool Panel, and I made nonsense of that panel. They invited me and I told them I will not come, and nothing happened. That proved that it was a kangaroo panel.

So the man felt humiliated, and the truth of the matter is that the governor also felt embarrassed, because I also started writing letters to the government, official letters entitled: ‘Imo State Government silence on Speaker Uwajumogu’s criminal and fraudulent activities is embarrassing.’ I also wrote and said, ‘your personal silence on Uwajumogu’s criminal activities is worrisome.’ That was when the governor invited the speaker and ordered him to kill me. I am telling you the truth. The speaker left Government House and started calling some of his friends, saying, ‘the governor has ordered me to kill Samuelson.’

One of his friends - and I will mention his name - Chief Emeka Ibe (Emeka South), from Obolo in Isiala Mbano, so that people will know what I’m talking about. He called me and told me what Uwajumogu revealed to him. And, of course, the whole world knew because I was alerting the world: ‘My life is in danger oooo; my life is in danger oooo.’

So when this cult war started in Owerri between Vikings Confraternity and Black Axe Movement, the Imo State Government now cued into that cult war. Uwajumogu sent five armed boys to come here and kill me. And if they had succeeded in killing me, I would have been termed a victim of cult war. But, unfortunately for them, I was not around. So from the report of the security meeting which was held at Government House on Thursday June5, 2014 on the orders Sir Jude Ejiogu, Chief of Staff to the Governor, Uwajumogu was contacted by those boys, and Uwajumogu told them to just kill anybody, that they will still hang it on my head, so that I will be arrested. So that was what happened. I did not kill anybody. And that is the truth. And luckily for me, God made sure that I did not come back. I only returned to meet policemen in my compound. How can I kill? A crusader? Eh? When I was in my office, I was returning unspent funds, the only political appointee in Imo State Government that was returning money. I had the opportunity to make money. I said no, because I got this appointment based on my social crusade work, speaking up against ills of the society. I was very honest. But look at what has happened to Uwajumogu today. He crashed out completely. A man I gave so much love. Before God and man, if somebody had told me I would quarrel with Uwajumogu, I would have given that person a bloody knock-out, because I loved this man with all my heart. I didn't just see him as my boss, I saw him as my own father, my own brother, my uncle. In short, I saw him as Samuelson Iwuoha himself. I saw myself as the Speaker of the Assembly. I protected that office. But look at, that place has collapsed, the entire office!

And I’m sure having fought the battle and lost completely, in his sober moments he would be reflecting on what actually happened, and his conscience would tell him that Samuelson actually protected him. I gave that man undiluted love, but he abused and missed it.

What has EFCC done with the revelations you made?

Well, I have just come out of prison and thank God, somebody like Buhari is now the president of this country. He would be sworn in soon. Trust me!

How long did you stay in prison?

Three hundred and twenty eight (328) days in all: 65 days at the police, that is two months at the police and then nine months at prisons.

What of your wife?

Six and half months: two months at the police and four and half months in the prison.

Who took care of your children?

Well, God took care of them through my brothers, sisters and in-laws, my parents. My children suddenly became emergency orphans. But we give God the glory.

What are your plans now?

Well, taking stock of what happened and taking a look at my businesses, to re-organise my businesses and social crusade work. Of course, giving thanks and glory to God because the mere quashing of the case against me is a proof that God has always been on my side. A lot of my goods running in millions of naira spoilt in my warehouse! But I thank God I’m alive. My lawyers are preparing to take action against these criminals.

You were arrested and kept in police custody. Who took the matter to court, you or them?

Well, I have contacts. You know, I was writing from police cell. So, instead of the police doing investigation, they were only interested in finding out how I was writing. So, every morning, the then Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr David Folawiyo, was always coming to my cell to search, to see if he would see writing materials on me because I was writing on daily basis.

So, how were you writing?

I won't tell you, I’m a strategist. I was writing and all my write-ups were published on the Internet. So I was able to pull down people from Abuja, senior police officers. I was able to contact Inspector-General of Police, even the Presidency. They all were involved in this matter and they sent senior police officers to come and pull the matter from Owerri here to Abuja.

And when they came down here, the then Commissioner of Police, Mr Abdul-Majid Ali: they have posted him out now. But he alerted the governor who came out openly and stopped them, because they knew that if I had been transferred to Abuja, I would have been released and Abuja would have come down here to pick those five boys and they would have confessed and the identity of their sponsors – being Rochas Okorocha and Speaker Uwajumogu – would have been unmasked. So in order to frustrate that effort of taking me to Abuja, my wife and I were rushed to the court and were remanded in prison custody. So, in a way, I fought from police cell and we striped them naked; and the whole world started to see their nakedness and emptiness. So in a bid to cover that nakedness, they rushed us to court in an attempt to use the judiciary as fig leaves to cover their nakedness, just like Adam and Eve. But the main thing is that Citizen Ikenna Samuelson Iwuoha is out and they would see the true meaning of activism. Rochas Okorocha would not go scot-free. I’m going to deal with him.

But while you were in the prison, how did the matter continue in court?

I have lawyers. My lawyers fought hard and, of course, we knew we would win. But they simply used executive power to suppress us.

How was the matter finally struck out?

That was on Monday 27th of April. Even on that day; the governor, immediately he learnt that the matter had been struck out, he went mad and said: 'That Judge? She went and struck off the matter and released the boy so that he would come out and destabilise my government?

Which judge?

Justice Irene Duruoha Igwe, a very wonderful woman.

Which court?

High Court 4 Owerri. Okorocha disappointed the whole world, but I’m going to expose him. He has a killer squad: let him come out openly and kill me, but I’m going to mess him up. As I did to Uwajumogu so will I do to Okorocha. I’m not afraid of him.

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