Nigeria’s Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has allegedly ordered the arrest of Maazi Obinna Oparaku Akuwudike, a journalist and media activist.
Akuwudike who is a star witness to Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, in her case against the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, was arrested exactly 3 am on Thursday in Owerri, Imo State.
Some see the arrest by the IGP as a wider conspiracy by the Senate President to silence the journalist who had volunteered to testify in Akpabio’s alleged involvement in a smear campaign against Natasha, who had previously accused the Senate President of sexual harassment.
It was gathered that his arrest may not be unconnected with the explosive interview he had with Adeola Fayehun’s on her YouTube channel, where he alleged that Sandra Duru, (also known as Prof Mgbeke), paid him ₦2.5 million to produce defamatory contents against the embattled Kogi Central Senator.
During the interview on Adeola Fayehun’s YouTube programme, Akuwudike also claimed that Akpabio was the political and financial sponsor behind Duru’s actions.
While clarifying his previous involvement with Duru, he explaining that he was initially hired for a media production assignment.
“I received money for producing videos but grew concerned after noticing inconsistencies in Duru’s public statements,” he had said.
He emphasised that after hearing certain controversial remarks made during a livestream, by Sandra Duru, he decided to publicly withdraw and expose the tissues of lies being peddled against Senator Natasha.
Akuwudike strongly asserted that the allegations and claims made by Duru were part of a broader agenda that lacked factual basis, adding that all the latter’s claims against Natasha were “fabricated lies” and “false”.
