The Imo First Group (IFG) has denied reports that a Senior Magistrate Court ordered the arrest of Senator Ifeanyi Araraume and former Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha over alleged criminal conspiracy and forgery.

The group described the reports as false and challenged those responsible for circulating them to make the purported court order public for verification.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Saturday, IFG insisted that no Senior Magistrate had issued a bench warrant authorising Araraume’s arrest.

The group also questioned the authenticity of the reported warrant, citing what it described as inconsistencies in the dates associated with the alleged court proceedings.

According to the statement, the purported bench warrant was dated September 9, 2026, while the petition by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), which was reportedly the basis for the court’s action, was dated October 8, 2026. The report also cited case number CR/M/084/2026.

IFG further claimed that attempts to obtain an ex parte order from the magistrate had been unsuccessful, alleging that those involved subsequently circulated misleading information about the proceedings.

The group accused those behind the reports of attempting to damage the reputations of the two politicians for political reasons, describing the development as part of efforts to advance political interests in Imo State.

It urged those claiming that an arrest warrant existed to produce the document so that members of the public could establish the facts surrounding the allegations.

The controversy centres on claims of criminal conspiracy and forgery linked to a document concerning the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial primary for Imo West Senatorial District.

However, the group's statement did not independently establish whether the purported warrant existed, and no copy of the alleged court order was provided in the account.

IFG maintained that the allegations should not be treated as established facts without verifiable evidence and reiterated its call for the purported warrant to be made public.