Imo State Government has dismissed attacks “by some uninformed and misguided elements over the lawful action of Owerri Capital Development Authority (OCDA) against what it described as lawlessness of one-time Secretary to the Imo State Government (SSG), Uche Onyeagocha.

It described the attacks as uninformed, unwarranted and seditious.

Reacting to a statement credited to the Owerri League of Patriots, “which made false allegations against the government on the Onyeaguocha issue”, the government also warned the group “to be mindful of its unbridled support for Onyeagocha’s illegal action, because those who support illegality are guilty of promoting lawlessness.”

A statement in Owerri on Sunday by the Imo State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Hon Declan Emelumba, said: “For the purposes of clarification, Chief Uche Onyeaguocha embarked on expansion of an old building which required him to obtain a written permission from OCDA.

“Typical of him, he not only refused to apply for the permission but went ahead, in his illegal expansion project, to block drainages, thus inflicting untold hardship on residents of the street. The OCDA had to do the needful by sealing the compound.”

The Commissioner further noted: “Onyeaguocha’s action is a clear manifestation of his disrespect for constituted authority carried too far. Those supporting his reckless and illegal affront on the government should take notice that they are guilty of promoting lawlessness.”

The statement made it clear that since Onyeaguocha is not above the law, all relevant processes pertaining to erecting a new building or reconstruction of old buildings must be followed strictly, adding that failure to do so would attract necessary sanctions.

The Commissioner said that it was a shame that a group claiming to be made up of patriots could lend itself to cheap manipulation for propaganda and display of crass ignorance of extant laws of the state, and added: “No amount of blackmail, lies, propaganda or even display of outright disrespect to constituted authority will dissuade government from applying the rules to the letter.”