The Nigerian Police on Thursday, arrested the Supervisory Councilor for Revenue in Ogbadibo LGA of Benue State, Sunday Okonkwo, for threatening Journalist with gun.
Okonkwo was picked at the council secretariat and currently being held at the Divisional Police Headquarters, Otukpa, pending when a reasonable surety would bail him.
The Councilor had on Tuesday, visited a widow, Mrs Margaret Itodo, mother of Abuja based Media Consultant, Yemi Itodo, threatening to kill the Journalist and wipe off his entire family over a comment on Facebook.
It was gathered that, a photograph of the Councilor with a big keg of palm wine was posted on his Facebook handle, which was later shared by the Journalist on his Facebook timeline.
Though the content of the post was not harmful, it was however, gathered that, the Councilor became infuriated by comments under the post by people of his local government.
Okonkwo, after reporting the Journalist to several people, decided to visit the Mrs Itodo, showing her gun that he would wipe away the entire family, if the comments on her son’s Facebook timeline were not deleted.
Reacting to the arrest of Okonkwo, the Journalist who also hails from the same locality with the Councilor, thanked the Nigerian Police for promptly responding to the cry of the widow.
Itodo said, it was so unfortunate that, “at a time when a law has been promulgated by Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, prohibiting illegal possession of firearms and with the laudable amnesty programme of the Governor, a Supervisory Councilor under Ortom’s regime would be moving glaringly with dane gun, to threaten an innocent widow.
He tasked the Governor to do all within his powers in dealing decisively with the bad eggs in his government who are bent on destroying his good intentions and goodwill.
He said his lawyers are ready and that the suspect would be transfered to Abuja for diligent investigation and subsequently, litigation.
“We have gone past the era of influential or power drunk political office holders, terrorising and suppressing the innocent and helpless citizens they sworn to protect.
“The present government under President Muhammadu Buhari and the State Governor, Ortom, would not subscribe to any form of injustice, especially now that political assassinations have resumed in Benue.
“I’m sure we shall get justice at the end, to serve as deterrent to other politicians who deal on guns and also encourage proliferation of firearms in our society “,Itodo added.
As at the time of filing this report, the process of bailing the Councilor was ongoing, even as the Journalist said he would not object to his bail but the matter would be taken to court thereafter.
