GOV OBIANO’S AIDE IN POLICE NET FOR ALLEGEDLY CIRCULATING FAKE NEWS
Reporter : UCHE NDEKE
The Senior Special Assistant to Governor Willie Obiano on Anambra State Investment Promotion and Protection Agency (ANSIPPA), Mr. Phil Chinwuba, has been arrested by the State Police command for allegedly publishing false and malicious contents against senior government officials, including the Governor.
Parading the suspect at the police Headquarters in Amawbia, the Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Haruna Muhammed, said the suspect, who hails from Aguleri in Anambra East Local Government Area, was arrested following investigation the command was undertaking that requires his explanation on the role he played in the crime.
Two weeks ago there was an online publication where an unknown person allegedly claimed that thirty senior government officials in Anambra State, including the Governor had Coronavirus disease and circulated same story on various social media Platforms.
This, according to the Police Public Relation Officer, Mr. Muhammed, promted the command to commence investigation to fish out the author of the said publication, which he said was capable of causing hatred, animosity and disturbance of public peace.
He explained that the investigation conducted traced the said publication to the suspect, leading to his arrest.
In an interview, the suspect, Phil Chinwuba, who is also a former Managing Director of the Anambra State Waste Management Agency under the present administration, explained that he set up the blog platform in 2017.
He explained that the blog was set up in preparation for the second term governorship bid of Governor Obiano but denied being the author of the alleged publication.
According to the suspect, in November 2020 his laptop and some communication gadgets were stolen from where he parked his car around a commercial bank on the express road and was reported to the police.
The Police Public Relations Officer said the suspect would be prosecuted after investigations for the offense the in line with section 24 (1) Aand B of Cyber Act Crime Prevention and Prohibition 2015.