Alleged forgery: Police release Okorocha on bail

The Nigeria Police Force has released former Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, on bail, after interrogating him over allegations of criminal conspiracy, forgery and impersonation.

Okorocha, who represented Imo West Senatorial District in the Senate, was arrested on Monday night at the REIZ Continental Hotel in Abuja and released after about an hour of questioning.

The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Anietie Iniedu, reportedly confirmed the arrest and subsequent release, adding that the former governor had been directed to return to the Force Headquarters on Tuesday for further interrogation.

Our correspondent could however not independently confirm the details of the interrogation as the police spokesperson did not respond to phone calls made to him.

The police said investigations into the allegations were ongoing but did not disclose details of the alleged offences.

The arrest reportedly followed Okorocha’s failure to honour previous invitations by the police for questioning in connection with the investigation.

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He was initially invited to appear at the Force Headquarters on September 2, but the appointment was rescheduled to September 8 following a request by his lawyers.

Okorocha reportedly failed to honour the rescheduled invitation, prompting the latest police action.

The police were also reported to have obtained a bench warrant to compel his appearance for questioning.

However, the circumstances surrounding the alleged forgery, impersonation and conspiracy have yet to be fully disclosed by the police.

The former governor has not been reported to have been formally charged with any offence in connection with the investigation.

Nathaniel Shaibu is a correspondent at The PUNCH with three years of professional journalism experience. He covers the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), civil society, religion, and the Ministries of Women Affairs and Youth Development. In addition to his primary beats, Nathaniel also reports on politics, metro, security, and judicial matters, bringing clarity and balance to a wide range of public-interest stories. His work reflects hands-on newsroom experience, strong beat knowledge, and a commitment to accurate, responsible journalism.

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