MD/CEO of Rainoil, Dr Gabriel Ogbechie, has refuted the story making the rounds on the social media that he had been arrested by the police. The astute businessman said he still can’t comprehend why anyone would sit down somewhere and not only fabricate but also concoct lies about his person and then begin to spread same all over the social media, other than ‘to embarrass and tarnish his reputation’.
All through last week, the social media was awash with the alleged arrest of the billionaire businessman who is one of the biggest players in the Nigerian downstream oil sector over a purported issue with Prince Ned Nwoko. Both men, incidentally, hail from Idumuje Ugboko in Delta State.
According to the story, Ogbechie was allegedly arrested over a plot to assassinate Nwoko!
The incredible story, surprisingly, was said to have been sold to the Nwokos by a prisoner! And narrowing it down to Ogbechie, they reported to the police who now extended an invitation to him, which he duly honoured as a responsible citizen. But acting true to their script, rather than state it as it is, they claimed Ogbechie was arrested and detained, even after he had responded to the police invitation and returned home, all under one hour.
According to a source who is in the know of everything that transpired narrated it thus:
‘In the petition, Ned Nwoko alleged the following:
1) He is from Idumuje Ugboko and he was allocated land to build on which he wants to build a university. The King, whom he referred to as Prince Nonso Nwoko, is not in support of the land allocation
2) Due to some fracas in Idumuje Ugboko, two Idumuje Ugboko indigenes are in detention at the Kuje Prisons in Abuja
3) A completely different prisoner whom Ned Nwoko mentioned by name, who was also in Kuje Prison, alleged that he overheard the two prisoners who are from Idumuje Ugboko saying that they plan to assassinate Ned Nwoko. The third prisoner known to Ned also stated that he overheard them saying that they are sponsored by an oil magnate.
4) According to Ned Nwoko, this third prisoner contacted Regina Daniels, one of Ned Nwoko’s wives and reported to Regina what he heard in prison.
5) Ned Nwoko stated in his petition that the only oil magnate he knows is ‘Chief Gabriel Ogbechie who owns petrol stations’.
6) Ned Nwoko in the petition also alleged that there is a plan to compromise his own lawyer, not to plead his own case properly in court.
7) Ned Nwoko also attached a print out of the WhatsApp chats between the prisoner in Kuje Prisons and Regina Daniels.
Ned Nwoko signed off the petition himself´.
The source added that not only are these allegations funny and alien to Ogbechie, too many questions are also begging for answers here. ‘The first one is how did the said prisoner get the phone number of Ned’s wife, Regina? Two is, are prisoners now allowed to use phones? Three is where was Ogbechie’s name mentioned, or because he is an oil magnate, then he must be the suspect? Four is, where and when did the meeting hold and who and who attended? It would appear that some people are just out to tarnish Ogbechie’s hard-earned reputation and nothing more’.
Commenting on the issue, Ogbechie said, ‘I pointed out to the police that I have absolutely no idea of what Ned Nwoko was alleging’.
Adding that, ‘Ned Nwoko and Regina Daniels are in the best position to explain the relationship between Regina Daniels and a prisoner in Kuje Prisons. I wonder what relationship Regina Daniels has with a supposedly random prisoner to the extent of exchanging phone calls and WhatsApp messages.
‘Besides, the random prisoner who is apparently an acquaintance of Ned Nwoko family only alleged that he heard them mention an Oil Magnate. Therefore the assertion that the Oil Magnate is ‘Chief Gabriel Ogbechie’ is entirely that of Ned Nwoko.
‘I left the police station within an hour of my arrival.
‘And I had barely arrived my house in Abuja when the WhatsApp message went out that I had been arrested.
‘It was obviously prepared even before my decision to honour the police invitation, all in a bid to embarrass and tarnish my reputation. Thanks!’ He concluded.