Ikenna Obidiegwu, the lawyer to Miss Anambra 2015, Chidinma Okeke, has threatened to name suspected blackmailers of his client in an alleged sex scandal.
Addressing reporters yesterday in Awka, the state capital, Obidiegwu said those blackmailing the winner of the Most Beautiful Girl in Anambra pageant were powerful people.
The lawyer said their identities would be unveiled at the appropriate time.
But a media briefing the beauty queen was scheduled to address yesterday was scuttled, following alleged threat by some gunmen to storm the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre in the capital city.
It was gathered that since the alleged sex scandal went viral, Chidinma’s life had been under constant threats.
Her suspected sex tapes, which were leaked recently, contain scenes of the beauty queen in a lesbian act with another lady.
But some people said the tapes were aimed at a frame-up.
The videos have generated an uproar.
They were allegedly circulated by those accused of blackmailing the beauty queen.
As early as 11.30 a.m, reporters had gathered at the NUJ Press Centre in anticipation of the beauty queen’s arrival.
But word soon went round that she would no longer address the media because of threats to her life.
A message on her Facebook account reads: “The moment I made public this intention to speak with journalists, I have been under …threats by my blackmailers and traducers.
“They are seriously threatening to shoot me at the press conference, if I ever …say the truth about the ugly episode.
“Since I have no protection – and if I die now – the truth will be buried forever. It’s my intention to sacrifice myself to save not just myself but other girls and other up-and-coming pageants by letting the world know the truth and what we go through.”
Chidinma said her traducers had continued to assemble all manner of expertise and professionals to edit the video and send them in batches.
The beauty queen said she would not be surprised, if more videos resurfaced.
In a telephone interview, Obidiegwu said Chidinma had to stay away from the media after his attempt to get Police Commissioner Sam Okaula to provide security for her had failed.
He said: “The commissioner said the notice was too short and that he could not mobilise security for the queen immediately.”
The lawyer debunked the claims that his client had been smuggled to Ghana.
Obidiegwu said he spoke with her about 30 minutes before speaking with reporters.
The lawyer said his client was passing through a trying phase, adding that she needed prayers from Nigerians to triumph.
Also, the organisers of the Miss Anambra Beauty Pageant, the Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS), which spoke through its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Nze Uche Nworah, said the management would speak on the matter at the appropriate time.