After Ebonyi governor, David Umahi, defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), he reportedly fired some aides who remained loyal to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
One of those aides, Godfery Chikwere, has now been arrested for allegedly inciting Nigerians against the military and the state government. Chikwere, who is nicknamed ‘Baby Mouth,’ used to work for the state’s broadcasting service, EBBC, and served as a media aide to Umahi.
A petition by information commissioner Uchenna Orji alleged that Chikwere, on October 8, published a Facebook post titled ‘Nigerian Army is seriously and willingly losing respect’. He was also alleged to have berated politicians who “can pay a youth to murder a perceived political enemy but can’t give such youth money to start a business”.
The police arrested Chikwere based on the petition. On Monday, Chikwere slumped at the facility where he is being detained, Premium Times reported.
Chikwere was rushed to the state’s police headquarters clinic for treatment but his condition reportedly worsened as the clinic is said to be inadequately equipped to cater to his health.
He was subsequently taken to the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki(AE-FUTHA) for further treatment.
“My husband started falling sick yesterday night when he was in the police station,” his wife, Onyinyechi, told reporters in Abakaliki.
“So, he became worst and the police clinic couldn’t handle it. He is here in AE-FUTHA since this morning.
“They couldn’t diagnose anything at the police clinic but he was in serious crisis. So, no we are in AE-FUTHA, from the explanations on what is wrong with him, I think it is acute appendicitis but I don’t know yet”.
State police spokesperson, Loveth Oda, reportedly said she was not aware that Chikwere was in AE-FUTHA and promised to go to the hospital to see him.
Activists have condemned Chikwere’s arrest and described it as a violation of his human rights.
