Former Governor of Imo State and ex-Senator, Rochas Okorocha, was arrested by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force on Monday, October 12, 2026 at the REIZ Continental Hotel in central Abuja.
According to Reports, Okorocha was picked up over allegations of criminal conspiracy, forgery and impersonation.
According to police sources, the arrest followed his alleged failure to honour several invitations for questioning in connection with an ongoing criminal investigation.
Sources said the former governor was first invited to the Force Headquarters, Abuja, on September 2, 2026, but at the request of his lawyers, the date was shifted to September 8. He was said to have failed to appear on the rescheduled date, prompting the police to obtain a bench warrant for his arrest.
Prior to his arrest, Okorocha had denied reports that a court had ordered his arrest.
In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary and Special Adviser on Media, Sam Onwuemeodo, the former governor dismissed the reports as fake news and accused the Imo State Government of sponsoring the story.
He threatened to take legal action if those behind the publication failed to produce the purported court order within 48 hours or retract the report.
Okorocha also alleged that the story was first pushed by Ambrose Nwaogwugwu, a media aide to Governor Hope Uzodimma, before it was picked up by other aides and media platforms.
Sources recall that earlier reports claimed a Senior Magistrate Court sitting in Jiwa, Abuja, had issued bench warrants for the arrest of Okorocha and former Senator, Ifeanyi Araraume.
Two others, Timothy Chuks and Amen Okorocha, were also listed in the warrants.
The warrants, dated September 9, 2026, and marked CR/M/JW/084/2026 and CR/M/JW/085/2026, were issued by Senior Magistrate Court 3, Jiwa, in cases instituted by the Inspector-General of Police.
The documents allegedly authorised police officers nationwide to apprehend the defendants and produce them before the court.
As of the time of filing this report, the Nigeria Police Force is yet to issue an official statement on the arrest.
