Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers, has described the police siege to the residence of Joy Nunieh, former acting managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), as a disgrace.
Policemen had laid siege to Nunieh’s residence hours to her appearance before a national assembly panel investigating the NDDC.
They had reportedly pulled down her gate and attempted to break the security door before the arrival of the governor who rescued Nunieh.
Addressing reporters after the incident, the governor said he came out to protect Nunieh from possible abduction and would do so for every Rivers citizen regardless of political affiliation.
He said under a civilised society, the proper thing to do is to invite her to respond to allegations, noting that the manner in which the police officers invaded her residence” at such an unholy hour suggests some sinister motive that should not be tolerated”.
“What has happened today is a disgrace. Who knows what would have happened to her if they had gained access to her main room? I went there personally to see things for myself and rescued her,” Wike said.
“She is supposed to testify before the house of representatives committee and here we are having armed men wanting to abduct her.
“We came out to protect our daughter and we will do so to every Rivers citizen. That is the oath of office I swore to. It doesn’t matter the political affiliation. We will not allow anybody to destroy Rivers state.
“It is so unfortunate and I cry for this country concerning the ways things are going. They didn’t have a warrant of arrest but would storm somebody’s house, in fact, the state commissioner of police is not aware.
“So, tell me how something will happen in a state and the commissioner of police is not aware? They said it’s the inspector general monitoring unit.
“So, we have such a unit taking over the responsibility of crime-fighting in a state and the commissioner of police is not aware? I can also assume too that the inspector-general of police is not aware. He should investigate it.”
Wike, who said he would not back the former managing director if found culpable, added that he would not allow anyone to destroy the state.
“If there is any allegation of crime against her, I will not back her but you can’t kill her for no established crime. I don’t know who’s responsible but whoever is behind it should not take Rivers state for granted because we will fight back,” he said.
“From what has happened now, I want to say that Rivers state is fully out. Anybody who is responsible for this attempted abduction of our daughter should know that enough is enough.
“They can’t treat her like a common criminal. I am sure that President Muhammadu Buhari is not aware of this. All the Niger Delta states should find out if any of their citizens have a hand in the unfortunate incident and call on such people to leave our daughter alone. She is no longer the managing-director of NDDC.
“The way things are going now, it seems people want to destroy Rivers state and it is unacceptable.”
Godswill Akpabio, minister of Niger Delta affairs, and Nunieh had appeared before the senate ad hoc panel investigating the alleged mismanagement of N40 billion by the interim management committee (IMC) of the NDDC.
At the hearing, Akpabio said he did not know the expenditure of the NDDC under Nunieh because she refused to give him briefings but Nunieh countered him.
She said the minister engineered her removal for failing to dance to his tunes and made several allegations against him, including sexual harassment, budget padding and fraud.