The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has said that Innocent Chukwuma, chief executive of motor vehicles manufacturer, Innoson Motors, was arrested following his failure to respond to invitations.
The business man was arrested on Tuesday December 19, 2017 at his Enugu residence, with many Nigerians casting questions on the fairness of the EFCC applying rough and tumble tactics to arrest a hardworking Nigerian adding value to the economy.
The Commission said the arrest became the option as Chukwuma failed to respond to invitations , after initially being granted administrative bail by the Commission, while his surety could also not be found.
Unfortunately, the industrialist resisted arrest and stirred controversy by bringing six truck-loads of thugs to block the entrance to his Plot W1, Industrial Layout, Abakaliki Road, Emeni, Enugu, home.
This was after he initially misled the Police Command by informing them that his home had been invaded by armed robbers and kidnappers despite the fact that operatives of the Commission duly identified themselves to policemen guarding his home.
His unruly thugs encircled and manhandled operatives of the Commission who had gone to effect the arrest. Consequently, a distress call was sent to the Commission’s Enugu Office for reinforcement.
In all of this, the Commission’s operatives acted with decorum and civility. No one was manhandled or assaulted by the EFCC team, and not a single shot was fired, despite the provocation.
The industrialist has however been released from the custody of the anti-financial graft agency on Wednesday on bail.
Chief Chukwuma and his brother, Charles Chukwuma (who is still at large), are being investigated by the Insurance and Capital Market Fraud Section of the Commission’s office in Lagos over matters bordering on N1, 478, 366, 859.66 fraud and forgery.The industrialist, among other infractions, allegedly used forged documents to secure tax waivers.
