By Ben Ugorji, Owerri
Governor Hope Uzodimma’s brother, Mr. Uche Uzodimma, who is also a contractor handling some of the road projects in the state has battered a journalist, Precious Nwadike for allegedly driving past his road work.
Uche Uzodimma who reportedly moves around with Police escorts and a retinue of thugs initiated the attack on Nwadike when he slapped the journalist who had unknowingly driven past his road renovation work, and then signaled his thugs to pounce on him.
Nwadike is the publisher of ‘Nigeria Watchdog newspaper’ and is known to hold a firm and critical stance on the Uzodinma administration.
Narrating his ordeal in the hands of the thugs, Nwadike said that the brutality unleashed on him was more than meets the eyes.
“Nobody would want to beat somebody to death because he breached his workspace. There was no road sign to indicate that it was a fresh work. And by the time I was taken to the hospital, other vehicles were using the same road without any disturbance. I just have to lie low, no one knows what they may do next”, Nwadike said.
Nwadike said that he had visited the National Identity Management Commission’s (NIMC) office along Port-Harcourt Road to enroll for his National Identity Number (NIN).
Upon arrival at the office, he was given a form and referred to the Owerri Capital Development Authority’s (OCDA) office along the same Port-Harcourt Road for data capturing. Knowing that it was already getting late, he pleaded with a lady staff of the agency to accompany him to OCDA to assist him and she obliged.
“On getting to OCDA office, a man slammed my bonnet with his hand and asked us to reverse.
“Two policemen walked to us and introduced themselves. It was later i discovered that the said contractor is actually Governor Hope Uzodimma’s younger brother, Mr. Uche Uzodimma.
“While I tried to park, the same man began to deride me, describing my vehicle as rickety and threatening to deal with me if I delayed.
“Thereafter, he ordered some thugs who were with him to deal with me. He stood back and supervised while his thugs beat me to stupor. I lost consciousness when one of them hit me on the back of my neck.”
He said it was the intervention of two OCDA staff that stopped the beating.
Efforts to reach the Governor’s brother, Uche Uzodinma through his phone lines proved abortive.
