Obiano’s Aide Arrested For Malicious Publication Against Anambra Govt

Awka – A Senior Special Assistant to Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State, Phil Chinwuba was on Tuesday, paraded by the State Police Command, in connection with a malicious online publication against Anambra State Government.
The said publication, captioned ‘COVID-19 IN AWKA, released earlier this month, had alleged that coronavirus had hit the State Government House, Awka, with top government officials including Governor Obiano on isolation and that the late Igwe Kelly Nkeli of Igbariam contracted the virus after visiting the governor to thank him for lifting his suspension and died three days to his ofala celebration.
It also alleged that the virus was brought into Government House from USA, by Mrs Maureen Odili, who is the wife of Chief of Staff to the Governor, Chief Primus Odili, and that Primus was having sexual affair with a light skinned woman and as such, Maureen bleached herself and came to show off her new look.
TNC correspondent gathered that Chinwuba is from Aguleri, the same community where Governor Obiano and the Chief of staff, hail from.
Recent days have seen serious discord in the Obiano administration, with a Commissioner resigning over what he called hijack of the administration by some greedy appointees.
Parading the suspect, the Public Relations Officer of the State Police Command, Haruna Mohammed said the publications contain series of falsehood and inciting messages which was made for the purpose of causing annoyance, criminal intimidation, enmity, hatred, ill will and needless anxiety.
“This is in violation of Section 24 (1b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition Prevention etc) Act, 2015.
“The above background is necessary to underscore the resolve of the Police Command to unravel those behind the documents being circulated online as well as the malicious publications,” he said.
The PPRO revealed that the same publication was forwarded to a Lagos-based blogger for onward dissemination by the suspect.
Noting that the suspect’s involvement so far was that circulation of both documents have been traced to him, Mohammed said the allegations require proof and the Command intends to get to the root of the matter.
However, while speaking with TNC correspondent,  the suspect denied making the publications, saying the posts may have been made by someone else who logged into his social media accounts when his laptop was stolen last month.
“In 2017, I set up an online platform through which we worked for the reelection of Governor Obiano. The platform was used very well for that purpose. Four days ago, I was arrested for a malicious publication on the same platform. I am not aware of myself publishing such malicious documents. Around the 7th of November 2020, my laptop and other gadgets were stolen in Awka and I reported to the Central Police Station, Awka where it is still being investigated as at now,” Chinwuba explained.
He apologized to Anambra State Governor and Chief of Staff for the publication appearing on his platform but maintained his Innocence about the publication.
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