The Imo State Police command has clarified that Prof. Adiele Jachimike, a journalist working with Boss FM Radio, was arrested by policemen from Owerri Area Command, not abducted by gunmen as being claimed.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) CSP Mike Abattam disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.
Social media reports claimed on Saturday that Jachimike was abducted by gunmen at the Boss FM radio station after presenting a programme.
The news of his abduction caused serious panic in Imo State.
The police, however, described the news of the abduction as false and claimed he was arrested over a case of financial fraud reported against him.
“The news is false, because he was never abducted rather, he was arrested by police operatives from Police Area Command Owerri, Imo State.
“The fact was that sometime in the month of March 2022, a lady reported a case of fraud against Prof. Jachimike Adiele at the Police Area Command Owerri, alleging that the suspect collected N1.2 million from her with a promise to give her a shop in Douglas market.
The PPRO stated that after some months, the victim discovered that there was no shop and demanded for her money but could not get it hence, her report.
He said on the strength of the complaint, Adiele was invited and after his statement, he was released on bail due to his status in the society and he promised refunding the money back to the victim but never did.
”When all efforts made to reach him proved abortive, the surety was invited and he claimed not to know the whereabout of the suspect and pleaded for time to trace him.
“Luck ran against him today when the surety got information that he was in the studio presenting a programme and alerted the police.
“On arrival, the police officers were professional, they never went to the station rather, they waited until he concluded his programme presentation and was heading home when he was arrested to the station.
”He has since been released and on conclusion of investigation, he will be charged to court”, Abattam said.
