By Austin Ogwuda
A highly -placed official close to the Delta State Governor, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori has berated THE WILL newspaper for the goof it committed by reporting the killing of former female Commissioner Joan Onyemaechi by her captors without official confirmation from the Police.
The source told The Townhall Sunday afternoon that “it is not true as claimed by the newspaper (THE WILL) that it got the source of that story from “very credible, high-ranking official in the Delta State government, who is very conversant with sensitive state matters in real time”.
The source said that “what they tried to do is to cover face in shame for the goof committed. As I speak with you there is no government official that spoke to them as claimed. It is not true”, he insisted.
THE Will had in its rebuttal after publishing that the abductors had allegedly tortured her to death and dumped her body by the bank of the River Niger between Asaba and Onitsha wrote:
“The Delta State Police Command has refuted our earlier news report on the murder of Hon. Joan Mrakpor (Joan Mrakpor), also known as Ada-Anioma, a former member of the House of Representatives, Delta State House of Assembly, and an ex-commissioner.
“The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Delta State Police Command, SP Bright Edafe, told the media that the news of her murder is so far false and that her abductors had not made any contact since they forcefully took her from her church premises and killed two police aides attached to her in Asaba, the Delta State capital last Tuesday.
“THEWILL’s earlier report was published following information received from a very credible, high-ranking official in the Delta State government, who is very conversant with sensitive state matters in real-time. At the time we published our report, even the Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, had also received the same intelligence and was saddened over the development on Thursday night.
“The governor, according to THEWILL checks had authorised the deployment of a team of security personnel to the bank of the River Niger in both Asaba and Onitsha to verify the development. They, however, returned without success.
“With the rebuttal from the police, THEWILL has, therefore, deleted our previous report from our news website. We apologise for the mix-up and pray that Ada Anioma is returned to her family safely”, stated THE WILL.
Asked that in line with the alleged brazen lies and cover up if the State government was contemplating any sanction or legal suit the line went off.
