My attention has been drawn to an online report of The Guardian newspaper entitled; DSS PARADES SUSPECTED KIDNAPPER, OTHERS IN IMO”.

The newspaper had reported the arrest of a notorious kidnapper named Mr. Henry Chibueze alias VAMPIRE by officials of the Department of State Security (DSS) in Imo State. The said Vampire was paraded on Tuesday the 28th of July 2015.

This is a welcome development. For me, I have no problem with the arrest of the notorious criminal. However, my disagreement with the report has to do with the way and manner the news was reported which went contrary to the true account of what transpired when the said Henry Chibueze Vampire made his confession during his parade before newsmen by the State Director of DSS, Mr. Francis Ejiofor.

Let me at this point inform the reading public that I was not present when the man was paraded and questions asked him. I am not a journalist. I am Socio-Political Crusader and a business man. However, the news (report) of the confession of this criminal was published in virtually all the national newspapers, local newspapers, social media, etc, the following day, the 29th of July 2015. It was also aired or announced by most Television and Radio Stations in Nigeria. Apart from the Guardian Newspaper, all other print, electronic and social media reported the true confession of the said Chibueze Henry Vampire.

Perhaps, a proof will prove me right. The Sun newspaper edition of Wednesday the 29th of July 2015, page 10, reported clearly the confession of this Vampire, and some of the people he kidnapped, killed or planned to kidnap were mentioned. Every other newspaper, either national or local, followed the same pattern to publish this report.

Radio and Television stations also followed the same pattern. Even, the social media platforms followed the same pattern. But the Guardian Newspaper, in their report, added that Mr. Vampire’s victims included the Principal Secretary, Office of the Deputy Governor, which happens to be Sir Emenike Ihekwaba. This is the point I totally disagreed with the Guardian Newspaper.

Nevertheless, because I was not present when the kidnapper made his confessions I decided to quietly investigate and find out the truth.

Let me at this point state that one of my uncles who resides in the United States of America (USA) actually drew my attention to the offensive GUARDIAN Newspaper report in question, which was different from the report of over 30 Local newspapers in Imo State, 12 National Newspapers, Radio and Television Stations, et cetera.

The reading public will be asking at this point; what is Citizen Ikenna Samuelson Iwuoha’s interest in this false report? It is on record that I petitioned the inspector general of police on the 26th of June 2015, exposing the political killings, and kidnap related crimes in Imo State. In the said petition, I boldly and clearly stated that Governor Rochas Okorocha masterminded the kidnap of Sir Emenike Ihekwaba on the 26th of August 2012. The petition was copied the Presidency, all the Security Agencies and the Public. I stand by my petition.

Convinced that the Guardian Newspaper report in question was false, I decided to do a thorough ‘’forensic’’ investigation on the confessions of Mr. Vampire. I was the former senior special assistant on media at the Imo State House of Assembly, between 2011 and 2013. So I know at

least 98% of correspondents and reporters, and they know me. I know all the publishers and editors in Imo State, and they know me. The Guardian newspapers reporter in Imo State, Mr. Charles Ogugbaja is my good friend and brother. I called him to confirm if he was the one who

wrote the said report, and he confirmed that he was the one. Before then, I had called most correspondents who were present when Vampire made his confession and they narrated how everything happened. The question now is; what truly happened?

On Tuesday the 28th of July 2015, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo reportedly gathered the press men attached to Government House, for a briefing by Governor Rochas Okorocha. Publishers of State (Local) Newspapers were also present but

they later left. When Governor Okorocha eventually emerged from a security meeting, he addressed the correspondents and informed them that a notorious kidnapper had been arrested. He told them that the kidnapper had confessed to have kidnapped and killed over 300 Nigerians, including Sir Emenike Ihekwaba and other names that he mentioned. Having prepared the minds of the correspondents, Okorocha led them to the office of the Department of State Security (DSS), just a stone throw from Government House.

At the DSS Office, the State Director, Mr. Francis Ejiofor reportedly briefed the correspondents of how Vampire was arrested and the people he kidnapped. The DSS director never told anybody that Vampire kidnapped Sir Emenike Ihekwaba. This can be verified. Suddenly, Governor Okorocha reportedly became the “Investigating Police Officer”, took the microphone and started asking Vampire questions on his kidnap exploits. Vampire reportedly admitted to have kidnapped many people (mind you, not “over 300 Nigerians”). He was said to have mentioned names of those he kidnapped, those he killed and various ransoms he collected. Vampire NEVER mentioned Emenike Ikekwaba name.

Rather, it was the Governor Okorocha who was reportedly forcing him through subtle manipulation to admit that he also kidnapped Sir Emenike Ihekwaba. Yet Vampire openly said that he did not kidnap Emenike Ihekwaba.

Obviously, 99% of correspondents saw through the WURU-WURU and MAGO-MAGO plot of the governor, which failed. Okorocha reportedly could not get Mr. Vampire to accept before pressmen that he kidnapped Sir Emenike Ihekwaba. Hence, pressmen reported what they witnessed.

But most unfortunately, my good friend and brother (Charles Ogugbaja) became Okorocha’s “MUGU” and got entrapped by the governor’s tricks and sent in a regrettable faulty report.

As I mentioned earlier, I called Charles Ogugbaja and we spoke on phone. He confirmed to me that Okorocha was the one who informed correspondents at Government House that Vampire had confessed as being responsible for the kidnap of Emenike Ihekwaba. He also confirmed to

me that Vampire never admitted before correspondents that he kidnapped Ihekwaba. And that the director of DSS never told them that Vampire kidnapped Ihekwaba.

I have nothing against Charles Ogugbaja. He is my friend and brother. He is an effective and very efficient journalist. I have forgiven him, and I am sure the Ihekwaba family has forgiven him. I am also sure that with my explanation, the reading public has forgiven Charles Ogugbaja. Nobody is above mistakes. But the kidnap of Sir Emenike Ihekwaba was never a mistake. It was plotted and executed by Governor Rochas Okorocha.

However, let me say that since I started this brutal and ruthless crusade three months ago by exposing Governor Okorocha and his activities, especially on the kidnap of Sir Emenike Ihekwaba, he has been running from pillar to post; looking for fig leaves to cover his nakedness. He thought he could use Vampire as fig leaf to cover his involvement in the kidnap of Sir Emenike Ihekwaba.

I am cautioning the Department of State Security to be very careful. I am not a coward and have never been one in my life. They must never allow Governor Okorocha to adulterate their activities in the state. I commend them in their effort to fight crime in Imo State. May God Almighty bless the State director, Mr. Francis Ejiofor.

Apart from Sir Emenike Ihekwaba, the killers of Architect Franklin Okolie are also known, both to the Imo Police and the DSS. They have their names because they were part of the security meeting that was held on the 5th of June 2014 at Government House, Owerri, where the five names of those who killed Franklin Okolie were submitted. But most unfortunately, the Imo Police and the DSS acting on the orders of Governor Rochas Okorocha and Ex-Speaker Benjamin Uwajumogu have refused to arrest those five boys who murdered Architect Franklin Okolie on the 3rd of June 2014 in front of my compound at Ikenegbu layout extension, here in Owerri. I have since made the five names and their addresses public.

I am therefore calling on the Inspector General of Police to completely disregard and ignore that Guardian newspaper publication that erroneously linked VAMPIRE to the kidnap of Sir Emenike Ihekwaba.

Finally, I am thanking President Muhammadu Okechukwu Buhari for accepting to investigate all political killings and kidnappings in this country. There is no peace for the wicked says the Lord God Almighty’. The position of a governor can never be equated to human life.

Governor Rochas Okorocha must produce Sir Emenike Ihekwaba alive. Full stop.

•Citizen Ikenna Samuelson Iwuoha, whose photo appears alongside this piece, is a former Senior Special Assistant on Media and immediate past Senior Special Assistant on Special Duties, Imo State House of Assembly.

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