Imo: Security operatives raid newspaper stands, arrest vendors, others in Owerri

From Athan Agbakwuru, Owerri

Security operatives reportedly attached to the Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Response Team deployed to Imo State Monday raided newspaper stands in Owerri, the state capital and its environs  and arrested no fewer than seven(7) newspaper vendors in the state capital.

The raid is coming on the heels of the arrest of the sales Representative of the New Telegraph Newspaper in the state Mr.Chuks Ugwuibe who was reportedly whisked away while carrying out his routine duty last Tuesday at Orlu area of the state.

The crack police team swooped on the newspaper stands at Douglas Road, Fire Service Junction, Wetheral Road by Government House Roundabout etc all in the capital city in the early hours of Monday and arrested the unsuspecting vendors and some hapless ‘free readers’ and buyers who daily cluster the newspaper sales points.

The heavily armedoperatives, it was gathered, carted away copies of newspapers on display at the various newsstands in town and took the suspects to yet unknown custody.

The early morning raid forced other vendors who managed to escape arrest to abruptly close shop for the day just as they deserted their various Offices at Rotibi Street, Owerri.

Efforts to reach the Imo State Police Command Public Relations Officers, SP Godson Orlando Ikeokwu for reaction met a brick wall as, he could not reply to test message sent him nor pick calls put across to his mobile phone.

Newstap.com.ng authoritatively reports that palpable fear has gripped  both vendors and journalists in the state over the latest onslaught against the newspaper men by the security operatives.

This is coming at a time when the whereabout of the Sales Representative of New Telegraph newspaper in Imo state, Mr. Chuks Ugwuibe has remained unknown to both his family and colleagues.

Mr Ugwuibe, it is recalled was arrested by plainclothes men of the Nigerian Police Force at Banana Junction Orlu where he had gone to collect his weekly returns from the vendors.

A source that spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity revealed that the whereabout of the New Telegraph staff has remained unknown since his arrest thereby leaving his family in confusion and anguish as it is uncertain what has become of him.

Reacting to the disappearance of Mr Ugwuibe and the Monday arrest of some vendors, Chairman of the vendors body,  Mr. Udofia Alex Imoh , in a press release issued on behalf of the Association of Newspaper Sales Representatives, Imo State chapter bemoaned and condemned the arrest of his members noting that Ugwuibe was arrested while on official duty at Orlu.

His words, “He(Ugwuibe) was actually trying to take his weekly returns from a vendor when he was arrested. Our association is pained that Ugwuibe’s family is passing through a horrowing experience because of the arrest of their father.”

He  therefore called on the security outfits in the state to screen their detainees, especially those arrested at Orlu last Tuesday, to ascertain the whereabout of Mr. Chuks Ugwuibe.

Meanwhile, the disappearance of Mr Ugwuibe has triggered another worrisome dimension as his pregnant wife had developed a critical high blood pressure that led to her premature delivery of a baby via  emergency caesarian section to save her from untimely death.

The expectant mother developed signs of induced labour that threatened her life and that of her foetus three days after her husband’s arrest hence the  surgery.

Our correspondent reports that the police clampdown on the vendors may not be unconnected to the recent government onslaught against pro-Biafra agitators like the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, as the vendors are seen as the purveyors of the Biafran agitations since the circulate the pro-Biafra tabloids.