The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has broken into the residence of Senator Rochas Okorocha in Abuja after gunshots were fired and teargas released.

The operatives of the anti-graft agency stormed the residence of the former Governor of Imo state to arrest him.

Channels TV reports that the EFCC insisted that journalists must leave the premises, forcefully ejecting everyone in the residence and also used teargas to disperse people who had gathered at the scene.

According to the agency, Okorocha had refused to “honor invitations after jumping the administrative bail earlier granted him by the Commission.”

However, the former governor who is a presidential aspirant denied this allegation and accused the agency of holding him hostage in his own home.

The EFCC had on January 24, 2022 filed a 17-count criminal charge bordering on diversion of public funds and properties to the tune of N2.9billion against Okorocha.

The case was assigned to Honourable Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja but attempts to arraign Senator Okorocha were twice stalled owing to the absence of the ex-governor who evaded service of processes.

At the last sitting March 28th, 2022, Justice Ekwo before adjourning until May 30th, 2022, had warned that it was “the last adjournment I shall grant in this matter”.

According to the EFCC, it was “left with no option than to effect the arrest of Senator Okorocha and bring him to trial.”