Hon. Rita Odichi Orijifor, who represented the Ajeromi Ifelodun Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives from 2015 to 2019, has been apprehended by the Nigerian Police following serious allegations that she used a fraudulent WAEC certificate during her time in office.
Sources close to the situation reveal that Orijifor was arrested earlier today at her residence in Wonderland Estate, Abuja, after an extended wait by police officers. It’s reported that she locked herself in her bedroom and made several frantic calls to prominent political figures, attempting to delay or prevent her arrest. Despite her efforts, none of the political figures she contacted intervened, and after several hours, she was forced to emerge from her hiding spot and was taken into police custody without further resistance.
Before this arrest, Orijifor had been evading authorities by hiding out in Akure. She only returned to Abuja after believing the situation had calmed, unaware that the police were already closing in on her.
Orijifor’s legal troubles escalated when a judge in the Federal Capital Territory dismissed her application to halt the ongoing police investigation. The judge ruled that Orijifor failed to present sufficient evidence to prove that her constitutional rights had been violated by the authorities, allowing the investigation to proceed unimpeded.
At present, Orijifor is being detained at the Force Headquarters in Abuja while the investigation into the alleged certificate forgery continues. This case is rapidly gaining attention due to Orijifor’s past position as a federal lawmaker and the potential political ramifications it may have in the country’s political landscape.
As the investigation unfolds, more details are expected to emerge, and this high-profile case could potentially have significant implications for Nigerian politics.
