Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike says he saved the former acting managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Joy Nunieh from being abducted.
Nunieh’s Port Harcourt home was besieged by armed policemen early Thursday who did not have a warrant of arrest. She was later rescued by the governor and taken to the Government House.
In a statement on Thursday by the Commissioner for Information and Communications Paulinus Nsirim, the governor urged the Inspector-General of Police to probe the incident.
“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,” he said in the statement.
“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 added.
The governor said he would not support Nunieh if there are allegations of crime against her but that due process must be followed.
“Using the police to carry out abduction of citizens should not be encouraged. A similar incident had happened in this state before when they wanted to use the same style to abduct a serving judge,” he said.
