The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Innoson Group, Innocent Ifediaso Chukwuma’s, recent clarification on his arrest by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) wherein he said his arrest has no tribal undertone, may have shown many public commentators as “pained opposition” similar to conspiracy theorists.
Mr. Innocent was reportedly arrested by some operatives of the EFCC in his hometown, in Enugu, over a case with one of the leading commercial bank in Nigeria.
Initially, the Commission claimed it arrested him because he flaunted several invitations to present himself before the Commission
“His arrest followed his refusal to honour invitation by the Commission having earlier jumped an administrative bail granted him in a case being investigated by the Capital Market and Insurance Fraud Unit of the Commission’s Lagos office.”
But the Spokesman of Innoson Group, Cornel Osigwe, replied that Mr. Chukwuma was never sent an invitation.
Mr. Osigwe challenged the EFCC to provide evidence of its acclaimed invitation which it says was not honoured.
Chukwuma’s arrest stirred some controversies online, with many claiming he was targeted because of his ethnicity.
Former Aviation Minister, and head of former President Jonathan’s Media campaign, Fani Kayode had tweeted after hearing of the arrest.
Why should anybody be surprised about the arrest of the owner of Innosson Motors? They did the same to Cletus Ibeto about a year ago.These people come from the “wrong” part of the country and they are providing a service and employment for Nigerians.They must be punished for it!
— Femi Fani-Kayode (@realFFK) December 20, 2017
He further wrote an article titled; “The Innoson affair, the Igbo and the orphans of the corporate world”, in which he alleged that President Buhari’s administration has arrested 3 industrialists in the last one year, all because they were Igbo.
He named them as Ifeanyi Uba of Capital Oil and Gas, Cletus Ibeto of Ibeto Cement and Innocent Chukwuma of Innosin Group.
Former spokesman of the Ex-President, Reno Omokri also tweeted.
How can the same EFCC that has not arrested Babachir, a proven thief, or Maina who was given security, now go and arrest Innocent Chukwuma the founder of @innosonmotors, the only Nigerian manufacturing made in Nigeria cars? Is it a sin to be a 5 percenter in Buhari’s Nigeria?
— Reno Omokri (@renoomokri) December 19, 2017
Human Right activist and Convener, Deji Adeyanju also tweeted.
Somebody said Innoson was empowered by GEJ because he’s Igbo. Is that why you people want to bring him down because of tribal sentiments? Someone that is a major employer of labor in this country?
Why didn’t other presidents bring down Dangote because of his tribe? Shame!!!
— Adeyanju Deji (@adeyanjudeji) December 19, 2017
My name is Deji Adeyanju from Kogi State.
If Innoson, an Igbo man is arrested unjustly because some cabal somewhere are feeling an Igbo man is becoming too powerful, i will talk.
I don’t care what you say about me. All I know is that tribalism must stop in Nigeria.
— Adeyanju Deji (@adeyanjudeji) December 20, 2017
However, Mr. Chukwuma while addressing kinsmen and people who came to visit him after his release, said his arrest was purely business related.
Chukwuma confirmed that EFCC came for him at the behest of a leading commercial bank that was deducting some money illegally from his account, for over eleven years, amounting to over N400 million.
He said when he observed the illegal deductions, he consulted an auditor who tabulated the correct amount “which the bank agreed to refund but later reneged”.
The EFCC has charged Mr. Chukwuma and his brother, Charles, to Court on a four-count charge dated November 30, filed at the High Court of Lagos State, Ikeja Division.
The four-count included attempt to obtain under false pretense, obtaining under false pretense, theft, and forgery of shipping and financial documents.