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Imo govt seals off Rochas College in Owerri
The Imo State Government on Tuesday sealed off the premises of the Rochas Foundation College in Owerri.
The College is owned by former Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha.
According to the state government, the College was sealed off to implement the recommendation on a white paper report by a Judicial Commission of Enquiry on Recovery of Lands and other related matters which alleged that Mr Okorocha had acquired the property illegally.
Mr Okorocha, who is currently serving in the ninth Senate, was Governor of Imo State between 2011 and 2019.
In February, he was arrested by police for allegedly breaking into a government-sealed building in Owerri but was subsequently released.
He has denied any wrongdoing and accused current Imo state Governor Hope Uzodinnma of a witch-hunt.
Tuesday’s seal-off was implemented by a task force set up by the state government to implement a judicial commission’s white paper recommendations.
According to the state government, the white paper report recommended that the state government should recover the property which, according to the state masterplan, was owned by the Imo State Broadcasting Corporation, serving as the staff quarters.
However, according to the state government, the staff were forcefully ejected and the property was illegally acquired by then Governor Okorocha to build his Rochas Foundation College.
Meanwhile, Okorocha has described the action of the state government as a political vendetta urging the Uzodimma-led administration to face governance and stop any vendetta mission against perceived opposition.
Speaking through his spokesperson Sam Onwuemeodo, Okorocha said the true position is that some part of the land was reallocated legally to Rochas Foundation by the Ministry of Land which followed due process.
According to Onwuemeodo, over 4,000 children from Imo state are enjoying free education in the school.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had also sealed off the premises in 2019.
