A wave of condemnation has trailed what has been described as an emerging reign of terror at the Imo State Housing Corporation under its new General Manager, Mr. Raymond Ucheoma. Civil society organizations, legal practitioners, and citizens have expressed shock over Ucheoma’s brutal clampdown on staff and land investors, accusing him of trampling on due process, violating civil service rules, and endangering the image of the Imo State Government.
The most distressing of these incidents, according to multiple reports, occurred last week when Mr. Ucheoma ordered the arrest and unlawful detention of a grieving widow and staff of the Corporation, Mrs. Dike Nkechi Joy, alongside another staff member, Mr. Uche Dike. The duo was allegedly thrown into police custody for over three days without any formal query or indictment, solely for complying with directives from the former acting supervisor of the Corporation, the Honourable Commissioner for Housing, Bede Ekeh.
Civil servants within and outside the Corporation have described the arrests as both illegal and vindictive. “This is not just an attack on protocol, it’s a flagrant abuse of power,” said Barr. Okey Iwuchukwu, a legal practitioner based in Owerri. “To arrest staff members without due process and further move to suspend them indefinitely, which amounts to dismissal, is administrative recklessness that cannot stand under the law.”
Civil society groups and community-based organizations, notably the Orlu Progressives Movement (OPM), have risen in strong condemnation of the GM’s actions. In a press statement issued by OPM’s Coordinator, Dr. Chigozie Nwakamma, the group described the treatment of the widow as “barbaric, emotionally devastating, and psychologically damaging,” warning that such brutality could lead to systemic breakdown of order in the Corporation and erosion of public trust in government institutions.
Sources within the Corporation revealed that Mrs. Nkechi and Mr. Uche Dike had only shown an estate layout to the Commissioner in line with standard practice when there was no substantive GM. Yet, Mr. Ucheoma viewed their action as daring and punished them with brute force. Beyond this, he is also accused of going behind the law to obtain their bank statements without any court order: a criminal breach of privacy and administrative ethics.
This atmosphere of fear and suppression has reportedly scared off potential investors, many of whom have either withdrawn or suspended land transactions with the Corporation. Some who dared to inquire about available properties were allegedly harassed, beaten, or arrested. “We cannot continue like this,” said a local developer. “We are losing millions and the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) is being jeopardized by this man’s personal vendetta.”
A coalition of rights activists, including the Imo Justice Watch and Concerned Citizens for Rule of Law, have pleaded with Governor Hope Uzodimma to investigate and remove Mr. Ucheoma, insisting that the Governor’s legacy must not be destroyed by one man’s descent into impunity. “Governor Uzodimma has done so much to build public trust,” said activist Ebube Amadi, “but this man is pulling everything down with tyranny.”
As tension mounts, calls for immediate intervention are growing louder across the state. Many believe that unless swift action is taken to redress the injustices and restore discipline and professionalism within the Corporation, the chaos could spill over and taint the Hope Uzodimma administration’s record of public service reform and infrastructure development.
Effort to reach the GM for reaction was unsuccessful as he did not take his calls.
